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Proceedings of the Mid-South Instructional Technology
Conference (Murfreesboro, Tennessee, March 28-30, 1999).
Middle Tennessee State Univ. , Murfreesboro.

1999-03-00

160p.; For individual conference papers, see IR 019 735-750.
For full text:

chttp : //www. mtsu.edu/~itconf /proceed99/proceed99 . html> .
Collected Works - Proceedings (021)

MF01/PC07 Plus Postage.

♦Computer Uses in Education; Delivery Systems; Distance
Education; Educational Practices; *Educational Technology;
Elementary Secondary Education; Faculty Development;
Multimedia Instruction; Postsecondary Education; Teaching
Methods; *World Wide Web

Course Development; Knowledge Acquisition; Technology
Integration; *Technology Utilization

ABSTRACT

This proceedings contains papers that address the following
topics related to educational technology: (1) alternative course delivery,

including planning and implementing a World Wide Web-based education program,
■describing an interstate collaborative approach to Web-based instruction,
moving Web-based courses to the next level, and putting real lectures on the
Web; (2) beyond knowledge acquisition, including hypermediated learning
environments and multimedia instructional program for youths with chronic
illness; (3) pedagogy and technology integration, including electronic
conferencing, JavaScript interactivity for the class Web page, and using a
word processor to put math symbols on the home page; (4) best practices,
including assessing the impact of technology on teaching and learning,
classroom assessment techniques designed for technology, copyright in the
academic environment, effective use of audio in multimedia presentations, a
satellite outreach program for rural K-12 schools, Web site enhancement of
traditional pedagogy, and online student performance in subsequent
campus -based courses; (5) faculty development and facilities design,
including establishing a faculty development center, faculty collaboration on
multidisciplinary Web-based education, a survey of instructors of Web
courses, and the course development process; and (6) looking ahead, including
technology for preservice teachers and implications of the globalization of
higher education. A summary of a workshop on getting started with multimedia

is also included. (MES)

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Proceedings of the Mid-South Instructional Technology
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March 28-30, 1999)

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ERIC

Proceedings of the 1 999 Mid-South Instructional Technologies Conference http://ww\v.intsu.edu, ; ~itcorif/proceed99/proceed99.htm!

Proceedings
of the 1999 Mid-South
Instructional Technology Conference

Featured Sessions

Track 1

Alternative Course Deliver/

Track 2

Bevond Knowledge Acquisition

Track 3

Pedagogy and Technology Integration

Track 4

Best Practices

Track 5

Faculty Development and Facilities Design

Track 6

Looking Ahead ,

Workshops

Featured Sessions

Keynote Address

IMS: Building the Internet Architecture for Learning

Mark A. Resmer, Associate Vice President of Information Technology, Sonoma State University

Banquet Address

The Learning Revolution: Where Are We and Where Are We Headed?

Judith Boettcher, Executive Director, Corporation for Research and Educational
NetworkingCCREN) V

Featured Address

Higher Education: Technology Trends for the New Millennium

Thomas S. Buchsbaum; Vice President, Education; Dell Computer Corporation

Featured Address

Technology and Teaching: A Guide to 21st Century Hyperleaming

Thomas E. Cyrs, Professor, New Mexico State University

Track Sessions

Track One: Alternative Course Delivery

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Getting to There from Here: How to Successfully Go from Planning to Implem enting_a
Web-based Education Program

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Paula Szulc Dominguez and Suzanne Alexander, Christopher Newport University

An Interstate Collaborative Approach to Web-based Instruction ^

Denise Grant and Gay Bryant, Northwestern Technical Institute and Daryl Gilley, Pellissiopi
State Technical Community College

Moving Web-based Courses to the Next Level

Roger Van Holzen, Northwest Missouri State University

MTSU and the Southern Regional Electronic Campus

Liz Johnson, Middle Tennessee State University

Putting Design Back in Curriculum Design

Jody Strauch, Northwest Missouri State University

Putting "Real" Lectures on the Web

Delbert L. Hall, East Tennessee State University

Teaching with Authentic (Internet) Documents: Interactive Uses of Internet Resources in

the Language Classroom

Susan F. Spillman, Xavier University of Louisiana

Technology and Teaching: A Comparison of Traditional Classroom Lecturing and

Distance Learning via the World Wide Web

Donald F. Kendrick and David W. Ayer, Middle Tennessee State University

The Visual Calculus Project

Lawrence S. Husch, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

World Wide Web Presentations: Futuristic Strategies

Rubye C. Sanders, Lander University

Track Two: Beyond Knowledge Acquisition

Developing Modules for Web-based Bibliographic Instruction

Mary Hricko, Kent State University Geauga Campus

Hvpermediated Learning Environments: Students Collaborating with Technology s/

H. Willis Means and Mary S. Love, Middle Tennessee State University

Implementing an Interactive Paperless Class

Dan Lim, University of Minnesota, Crookston

MAPP: Multimedia Instructional Program for Youths with Chronic Illness ^

Peggy O'Hara Murdock, Middle Tennessee State University and Christopher McClure,
University of Miami School of Medicine

Technology-based Collaborative Tools: A Primer with Tool Types and Current
Examples

Richard Ranker and Craig Loftus, East Tennessee State University

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Using Technology to Mainstream Academically Underprepared Students
F.Kim Wilcox and Kay Patterson, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Track Three: Pedagogy and Technology Integration

An Interactive Multimedia Learning Experience: The History of Interior Design
Catherine L. Kendall, University of Tennessee. Knoxville w

Creating the Electronic Classroom: A Practical Guide

Larry J. Easley and Steven Hoffman, Southeast Missouri State University

Electronic Conferencing in an Applied Discipline: An Example from Social Work s/
Education

Kenneth Lancaster, Middle Tennessee State University and Jack Stokes, Southeast Missouri
State University

JavaScript: Convenient Interactivity for the Class Web Page J
Patricia Gray, Rhodes College

Moving Beyond the Overhead: Using Action Research to Evaluate and Plan for
Instructional Technology

Melissa M. Groves and Paula Zemel, University of Tennessee. Knoxville

Old Dogs, New Tricks, Adult Learners, and Technology
Donna Dillingham-Evans, Dixie College

Put Math Symbols on the Web using Word 97 and WordPerfect 8
Katherine Creery, The University of Memphis

Track Four: Best Practices

Assessing the Impact of Technology on Teaching and Learning: Student Perspectives \/
Barbara Draude and Sylvia Brace, Middle Tennessee State University

Classroom Assessment Techniques Designed for Technology v/

Mary B. Martin, Middle Tennessee State University

Computer Technology and Freshman Seminar at Eastern New Mexico University:

Integration, Assessment, and Outcomes

Dann Brown, Eastern New Mexico University

Diane Baird and Karin Hallett, Middle Tennessee State University

Effective Use of Audio in Multimedia Presentations J
Brenda Kerr, Middle Tennessee State University

Interactive Compressed TV: Achievement and Management Issues

Candace Lacey, J. Stephen Guffey, and Larry C. Rampp, Arkansas State University

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. . Satellite Outreach Program to Rural K-12 Schools ^

' - Charles H. Frost, John Sanborn, and Stacey Borasky, Middle Tennessee State University

Total Immersion Learning: A Metaphor for Developing Computer Literacy
Julie Bowers, David Currie, and Laraine Powers, East Tennessee State University

Using Instructional Technology to Provide Students with Course Material: Do Students
Get What They Expect?

Jerry L. Gaugland, Southeast Missouri State University

) Web Site Enhancement of Traditional Classroom Pedagogy ^

Timothy W. Hiles, University of Tennessee. Knoxville

What Happens After the Online Course Ends? Student Performance in Subsequent
Campus-based Courses

Paula Szulc Dominguez and Dennis Ridley, Christopher Newport University

Track Five: Faculty Development and Facilities Design

/ Establishing a Faculty Technology Center ■

Roger Von Holzen, Northwest Missouri State University

/Faculty Interdepartmental Collaboration on Web-based Education at the College of
Applied Science, University of Cincinnati
Vladimir L. Uskov, University of Cincinnati

The Georgia Virtual Technical Institute

Debbie Dlugolenski and Ray Brooks, Northwestern Technical Institute

Lessons Well Learned: The Experience of Using a Project Team for Instructional
Technology Development

Stephen P. Hundley, Patrick Baxter, Marla Francisco, and Adam Siurek, Indiana
Universitv-Purdue University Indianapolis

)Portrait of the Earlv-Adopter: Survey of Instructors of WWW Courses, Spring 1998 ^
Carol W. Wilson, Western Kentucky University

i Taking It Online: A Bootstraps Approach

Ginger Sabine and Daryl Gilley, Northwestern Technical Institute

Track Six: Looking Ahead

Media Curriculum at the Millennium: Evolution of Technology and Scholarship

David Sedman and Barry Vecker, Southern Methodist University

The New Paradigm Praxis for Teaching and Learning in a Technology Classroom:
Andragogy Edges Out Pedagogy

J. Stephen Guffey and Larry C. Rampp, Arkansas State University

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Technology as a Tool for Academic Dishonesty

Jill Austin and Linda Brown, Middle Tennessee State University

• : ■ Technology for Pre-service Teachers v/

Karen Jarrett Thomas, St. Cloud State Unversitv

) Through a Looking Glass Dimly: The Implications of the Globalization of Higher
Education

Jim Formosa, Nashville State Tech

The Virtual Field Trip Experience

Connie Zimmer, Arkansas Tech University

Workshops

Animations for the Web and Multimedia Applications

Daniel K. Ward II, Steven Bardonner, and Kyle D. Wiley, Iw Tech State College

Building Your Online Classroom

Gina Roberts and Rhonda J. Spearman, University of Tennessee. Knoxville

petting Started with Multimedia in the Classroom and Tutorial Lab .

David Alan Otts, Annette Williams, Carol Willis Dawson, and Vivian R. M. Alley, Middle
Tennessee State University

Teaching and Learning with Technology: Developing a Teaching.Enhancement Plan

Julie K. Little and Jean A. Derco, University of Tennessee. Knoxville

Thinknology: Using Instructional Technology to Enhance Thinking

Julie K. Little and Rhonda J. Spearman, University of Tennessee. Knoxville

Using the Internet and PowerPoint to Enhance Student Learning

Jay Sanders and Dorothy Craig, Middle Tennessee State University
Paper One
Paper Two

WebQuests: Making the Connections Work!

Betty Reynolds and Paceda Petrone, St. Bernard Academy

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Getting Wm There to Here
v

Getting from there to here:

How to (successfully) go from planning to implementing a
web-based education program

Paula Szulc Dominguez, Ed.D.

Coordinator, CNU Online

Suzanne Alexander
Systems Engineer, CNU Online

Introduction

Institutional Background
CNU Online

Rationale for changing to a web-based system

Evaluating and selecting a web-based system:

Implementation

Problems Encountered So Far

Next Steps

Conclusion

Contact

Introduction

Institutions do not lightly make the decision to develop a web-based education program. Whether the
underlying rationale rests in expanding an institution's reach, providing new services, or keeping up with
students' shifting needs, once a decision is made, an array of activities must be undertaken to maximize
the program's success. These activities involve the cooperation of all campus populations— faculty,
administrators, technical support personnel, and students— and typically take place within a stated time
frame.

In this paper, we document the steps taken by Christopher Newport University (CNU) as it planned and
implemented a web-based education program in 1998-99. We begin by documenting the context for
distance education at CNU, and detail the history of both the institution and distance education. Next, we
describe the rationale that prompted CNU to invest time and resources into developing a web-based
education program, as well as the evaluation of the different program options we had. We discuss the
implementation of the program, including the training we conducted and the support systems we put into
place. As all best-laid plans encounter problems, we provide an account of the ones we have come
across. Finally, we take a look ahead and describe the program's next steps and future directions.

ee&bi

Institutional Background:

Named after the sea captain who piloted the Virginia Company's early seventeenth century expeditions,
Christopher Newport University was established in 1960 as a two-year branch of the College of William
and Mary. In 1971, CNU became a four-year baccalaureate degree granting institution, and six years
later, CNU became totally independent of the College of William and Mary. CNU now occupies over
100 acres in Newport News, Virginia. Today, the university enrolls approximately 4,000 undergraduate

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Named after the sea captain who piloted the Virginia Company's early seventeenth century expeditions,
Christopher Newport University was established in 1960 as a two-year branch of the College of William
and Mary. In 1971, CNU became a four-year baccalaureate degree granting institution, and six years later,
CNU became totally independent of the College of William and Mary. CNU now occupies over 100 acres
in Newport News, Virginia. Today, the university enrolls approximately 4,000 undergraduate and 1,000
graduate students.

CNU s original mission closely revolved around meeting the needs of an older, commuter population, many
of whom had work and family responsibilities that competed with their student lives. Over the past five
years, however, CNU has been aggressively pursuing residential students and students of the traditional
college-going age. The university built its first dormitory in 1994, and ground was broken in February,

1999 for the second dormitory. Considerable attention and energy within the administration focuses on
developing campus-based resources, such as a new gymnasium and fine arts center, to attract and retain a
qualified, residential student body.

Hop]

CNU Online:

Christopher Newport University's distance education program, CNU Online, began as a faculty-initiated
effort in the early 1990s. Initially, one faculty member in the Department of Philosophy and Religious
Studies began to use a shareware bulletin board-based system to support his on-campus classes. The
bulletin board proved to be welcome by the students. In 1991, one telephone line and an IBM 8088 were
enough to support the users. By the fall semester of 1992, however, the number of telephone lines had to
be expanded to five to meet the increasing demand, while the bulletin board relied on an IBM 486 that
used PCBOARD software. In the fall of 1993, faculty members from the Department of Government and
Public Administration became interested in the system. The Government and Philosophy departments
jointly operated the online program as an experiment in 1993.

In 1994, the Government and Philosophy departments successfully obtained funds from the Virginia
General Assembly to officially establish a two-year online trial program dubbed CNU Online. During this
period, CNU Online was required to demonstrate the equivalency of instruction and student learning
between online and on-campus courses. A series of qualitative and quantitative analyses confirmed that
there were no measurable differences in student learning that related to the format of instruction.

With this information, the General Assembly approved CNU’s online program and CNU Online opened up
its doors as a distance education program independent of department sponsorship in 1996. At this time, the
bulletin board system was replaced by FirstClass, a message based system that required the installation of
client software. Over the past three years, enrollments have continued to increase each semester, as have
the number of online courses offered. CNU Online now provides more than 50 online courses to 660
students each semester, which is approximately one in seven students at CNU. Two complete degree
programs are available online— a bachelor of science degree in Government and Public Administration, and
a bachelor of arts degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies. In addition to the online courses, the system
is used to support on-campus instruction and hosts a campus-wide electronic town hall.

Like the situation at many other institutions, most CNU Online students (approximately 88%) live within
commuting distance of campus. Another nine percent live in-state, but outside of the immediate area, and
another three percent of students live out-of-state. For most of our online students, then, it is the
convenience that comes from time-shifting school work that serves as a major incentive for participation,
and not the distance between home and campus per se.

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LTo pl

Rationale for changing to a web-based system:

By 1998, Christopher Newport University’s online education program had established a presence among

thpF^ trf StudentS a lke ’ A cadre offacult y members representing core disciplines was comfortable using
he RrstClass system, as were the online students. The increase in the number of courses anTstutos each
ester indicated that the existing online program was a success. But in early 1998, despite the
considerable investment of time and resources, CNU’s administration decided to abandon the existing
message-Dased system and adopt a weo-Dased format. What factors contributed to that decision?

Jamnnif F C t Ch ™ to P her Newport University’s resolve to introduce a web-based system to
ampus^ First, practically speaking, moving to a web-based system would allow CNU Online suDDort staff
to use their time more effectively. With the FirstClass system; a large proportion of SSl
each semester was directed at mailing out software to students and troubleshooting problems that steiS
attention U? ating , the software - B y curtailing these two activities, support staff could direct their

material! S^mndTh^ 62 ^ 21 preV10USly had been shortchanged (e.g., helping faculty create course
atenals). Second, the web permits a more sophisticated use of instructional resources than could be found

Ztr IT 5 " 26 ' S ? tem ’ InStrUCt0rs could add sound and video files to their courses, create links to

other web resources and incorporate a graphical interface for the students. Finally, the continued

popularity of the web requires that CNU take advantage of it for instruction. A web-based system would be
rnr o a arge population and allow an easy migration for incoming students. In order for CNU to

vpTrP 5 !i 0mPetlt!Ve ” the K increasin S 1 y crowded marketplace of online education, it had to respond to the
very real expansion in web use. v

The decision to move to a web-based system stemmed from the administration from CNU and initially was
not well received by faculty. Most online faculty members at CNU are not given release time to prepare for
their online courses, and were understandably upset at the prospect of having to spend extra time to leam a
new system and create a host of new materials. One of our main concerns, then, as we SST
ifferent web-based packages in Apnl, 1998 was how to gamer faculty support for the new system.

U-Qpl

Evaluating and selecting a web-based system:

fn.»ri a h ,r, , con l [,osed ° f facult >' members and CNU Online staff assembled a list of seven

criteria that would be used in evaluating the number of web-based systems that were on the market The
first criterion was that the new program must be able to incorporate audio and video technology to

the ° n ™ ' mereStS f T“ lty membeK wh0 wished t0 add new features ‘° their courses Second

the new program must not involve the installation of specialized software. As mentioned above

responding to software installation problems constituted a considerable drain on CNU Online staff time

and Prevented us from working on other tasks. The third criterion we employed is that the new system must

be suited for both Mac's and PCs. That is, we did no. want to dictate a particular platfom to our olZe

r y ' ’ ' Ve k WaMed t0 “'«> a co mpany with good technical support. CNU Online is
dedicated to offering a system that is available 24 hours, 7 days a week, and we expect nothing less from

a'* ' Vh ‘ Ch WC WOrk ' A fifth criteiion was that the new system should not requfre students

studenK lxth nd we°STt ° f “T 0wn '. sin “ we wanted t0 be ““hive 10 rhe financial realities of our
students. Sixth, we needed to make sure that the faculty learning curve for mastering the new system would

be minimal, to respond to our faculty's tight schedules. Finally, the new system ideally would ran off a unix
server, which would permit remote administration, and have secure login capability

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Of the various web-based systems we identified, we subjected four of them for in-depth consideration
using our list of criteria. At this point we should say that our evaluation of these products reflects CNU's
particular needs and likes, and that other institutions might come to very different conclusions about the
systems suitability. We realize also that more recent versions of the programs listed below might alreadv
have addressed the limitations we identified. y

In our evaluation, we considered Web Course In a Box, Courselnfo, Top Class, and WebCT. Each system
had its own strengths and weaknesses. We found that Web Course In a Box did not include the
administrative tools we required. Although Courselnfo did have a suitable array of administrative tools it
did not offer faculty the flexibility in course design they wanted. Top Class received high points for its ’
administrative and course design tools, but lacked search and sort tools, a major flaw for our faculty.

In going through these initial reviews, we realized that our list of criteria had to be expanded to reflect
three other, critical needs. First, we needed the system to manage all courses in one course containment
area. Second, the new system really had to have superlative administrative tools for maintenance and
management. Finally, the new system had to incorporate search and sort tools.

With this reconsideration of the criteria, we found that WebCT met our needs most closely, although it
certainly had its own limitations. The greatest advantage offered by WebCT, we felt, was its large user base
and active user group, which have provided essential information for our own trouble-shooting. Also, we
found that the support we received from WebCT prior to our purchasing a license was far better than the
reactions we received from other companies. In July, 1998, approximately three months after we
established our initial list of criteria, our ad hoc selection committee assembled and voted to purchase the
WebCT program. Our attention next turned to the very practical matter of getting the program up and
running by the Spring, 1999 semester.

Hop]

Implementation:

Our implementation activities can be divided into two distinct periods: the four months prior to WebCT's
January, 1999 debut, and the time after we began using it for our online courses. Prior to WebCT's debut
we focused on training as many of our faculty and support staff as we could, and concentrated on

information that was at the core of the online courses: communication tools, course administration and
course content.

We were particularly concerned about our online faculty, many of whom had busy schedules. Our main
fear was that faculty members would wait until the end of the semester to learn the system, and would
descend full force upon the CNU Online support staff just as our attention was shifting to addressing the
needs and questions of our online students. For this reason, once we decided to purchase WebCT we
immediately began hosting regular training sessions directed at faculty. At the beginning of the Fall
semester, we hired an outside consultant to lead a two-day training session that was attended by
approximately 20 faculty members (about one-half of our online faculty). We also put together a special
weekend session for adjunct faculty members to respond to the concern of full-time faculty. Apart from the
training, we offered weekly, one-hour sessions on different WebCT topics, which were poorly attended.

We attended faculty meetings to answer questions, and also communicated information electronically
throughout the Fall 1998 semester. To supplement the faculty training, we put together two, 90-minute
sessions for support staff in the departments that sponsor the online courses.

One other concern was to alert our current students about the change in the online system that was about to
Jake place. To this end, at the beginning of the Fall 1998 semester we created an open course for students

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to explore and posted messages encouraging students to consult it. On this site, students could also create
messages discussing the new system. aiso create

Toward the close of 199 8, we began to focus more on our online students. We sent instructions for using
he new system to all students in December, which meant that those students would have one rnomh toL

houHnn t £bC 8 tW ° W£ekS ° f the Sprin S 1999 semester, CNU Online offered

from S amT a Tn n§ tW1CC d f ly that were wel1 attended. Our telephone help desk, which is staffed

8 am to 10 pm weekdays and four hours each on Saturday and Sunday, also handled questions from

I f n gene w W r^°^ d that the nUmber of < ? uestion s to our office dramatically decreased
support tr0dUCtl0n or WeDC t • 1 ne free time meant that we could address other needs, including faculty

fbout^frr?^ 8 °f th f £ S ^ ng 19 " Semester ’ faculty needs were much different. Instead of questions
recnnndld h faCU y concerns revolved around preparing and uploading course content. We

svllXtndc^Tt ng aS T S1Sta " Ce m scannin S- reformatting, and uploading course files, such as course
Questions ' addltl ° n ’ We hdped Create 9uizzes from online instructors' test banks of

One other area involved with implementation of WebCT deserves mention. To prepare for WebCT we

our fi^l a stable techmcal infrastructure. To balance the potential for program expansion with

W£ v u t0 P , UrCf l aSe 3 Server that was as hi 8 h end as we could afford. We opted to use
Ultra II server, which we already had available, upgraded the memory to 256K, and purchased a

second internal drive to allow us to mirror the system disk. We attached a Raid 5 SCSI disk array and a
10-tape library backup system, put a Gigabit network card into the server, and placed it on a Gigabit
switch. By the time our students were coming on line, the system was up and running. §

Hop]

Problems encountered so far:

At the point of this paper's writing, we are now two months into the semester. Lest the above description
give the impression that all has been smooth and seamless, we would like to describe three main problems
^ aVC — r V ® ne area £ i| at ^ as deen deficient has been in the communication about WebCT We
nPPHpH ei ip d Ha thebterature we dlsse minated to our online students lacked all the information they
needed. For example, instructions for how to print online course material was left out of the student
manuals we distnbuted. Another communication problem was that many of our online students were
unaware of the change to WebCT, and became confused when, on the first day of the semester they tried
logging onto the old system. Despite our efforts to spread the word, students were still caught unaware.

fddmsTpt WphrTiT 2 HaS be f nkeeping up with faculty needs - Although we led training sessions that
addresses WebCT basics, we did not cover the more advanced WebCT tools, such as course management

quiz creation. We remedied this by hosting a second round of training in early Februaiy and by
ve oping as ep- y-step manual for quizzes. As faculty members become more conversant in WebCT the
complexity of their questions increases, and we have had to spend more time than we had amicipated ’
answering questions about advanced features. We also have been sorely taxed by the sheer volume of
converting course content for online courses. CNU Online's policy is that our support staff is wiZg to

scanningb 6 ° f C ° UrSe matenals in order to relieve faculty from the more mundane ta^ks of

“ m Z U andre 4 formattln g and u Pl° ad ^g files. Faculty have not been shy about asking us to
a n ^!V h . em - ^ hav J. tne . d t0 circumvent problems by requesting that faculty members provide us with the
nformation at least five days before they need it uploaded, but not all faculty have respected this.

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nop]

Next Steps:

°999 2M0 »rZ n ? '* i 0 ”' W111 d ' reC ‘ our energies at addressing four goals for the

wr 9 nbn°?n,t l , Our fust goal is to improve training and information dissemination. To this end
we plan to develop online training modules for students and develop a student tip page that describes
typical problems and their solutions. The training of CNU Online staff is also a part of this first goal- CNU

any ,rainins beyond the ,wo - day session hosted the '

ne t! S6C0 8 for the upcoming school year is to expand the number of departments and
faculty members participating in the online program, as well as the range of applications available to
faculty and students CNU Online has depended on the same core departments and faculty for the past
several years. There is a perception on campus that the online program is the pet project of its most

an^facT 0 USers (the Gov ^ mment and Philosophy departments), which may prevent other departments
and faculty members from becoming involved. Although this appears strange, the online program primarily
supports online classes. That is, other faculty do not see the benefit of incoq>orating online cfr^onems
in o their campus-based instruction (e.g., to post course syllabi, notes, calendar). One of our aims then is
to develop other uses for the online program. To date, we have fashioned an electronic town hall for faculty
members across the university to use, and are discussing creating an online site for the campus' writing

third goal is to push the envelope of uses among our online faculty members. Understandably faculty
members have been straightforward with their uses of WebCT, and have relied extensively on text and %
messaging the same basic features of the system we abandoned in favor of WebCT. Over the next vear

then, we will work to encourage faculty members to incojporate graphics, video, and sound into their ’
courses .

Finally, we will stove to extend our student base. At this time, the majority of our online students live
within commuting distance of campus. We would like to attract in-state students (who would appreciate
the in-student tuition rates) living outside of commuting distance to the online program. To do this we
have to dedicate resources to develop a marketing plan and determine a way to reach these 2SS

Hop]

Conclusion:

The online program at Christopher Newport University has experienced consistent growth from its
inception in the early 1990s We are not naive enough to assume that our recent migration to a web-based
system will be our last, but hope that our recent experiences will allow us to make future decisions with
confidence. The process of making a transition to a new system is a difficult one for all parties involved
Based on the situations, dilemmas, and solutions we encountered, we maintain that establishing clear
communication channels and training provides the strongest foundation for an online program’s success

Contact:

Gettingfrom There to Here

http://www. m tsu.edu/-itco n &proceed99/Domi n guez2.htr

Paula Szulc Dominguez, Ed.D.

Coordinator, CNU Online

Suzanne Alexander
Systems Engineer, CNU Online

CNU Online

Christop her Newport University
1 University Place ~ ~

Newport News, VA 23606

An Interstate Collaborative Approach to Web-based Instruction

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/grant.htm

An Interstate Collaborative Approach to Web-based Instruction
Presented at the Mid-South Instructional Technology Conference

Middle Tennessee State University

Ms. Denise Grant, Department Chair, Allied health and Nursing, Northwestern Technical Institute
Ms. Gay Bryant, Department Chair, Office Technology, Pellissippi State Technical Community College
Dr. Daryl Gilley, Vice President for Instruction, Northwestern Technical Institute

Abstract

Introduction

The Collaborative Effort
Faculty Training
The Design Process
Hardware and Software Issues
Third Party Partnerships
Lessons Learned
Appendix A
Bibliography
Contacts

Abstract:

Faculty from two different institutions in different states develop an online course using a variety of
multimedia formats to deliver the instructional package including online lessons and examinations,
locally produced CD/ROM supplementary material, text and accompanying disk, and third party course
management software. The presentation will present an overview of the development process from
conception to delivery and will include an online demonstration of the finished product.

[Top]

An Interstate Collaborative Approach to Web-based Instruction

Introduction: In November 1997, with the support of the administration in the form of resources and
time, several members of the faculty of Northwestern Technical Institute made a conscious decision and
commitment to develop courses of study for delivery over the World Wide Web. However, even with
significant preplanning, to paraphrase another group of early explorers, "we were blindly going where no
one had gone before." Choosing to create an online course with little or no previous experience posed a
daunting challenge for the team investigating what we then called alternative instructional delivery. At
the outset the Northwestern team consisted of 10 members. Today, three of the original team members
have persisted and have courses currently on the web.

This paper will document the efforts of two faculty members from different states who collaborated to
create and deliver an online class in record time. The class, "Medical Terminology," was developed and
brought online in less than one year from initial conceptualization to finished product.

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An Interstate Collaborative Approach to Web-based Instruction

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persisted and have courses currently on the web.

This paper will document the efforts of two faculty members from different states who collaborated to

ESSE? ? el ‘ ver , an °"" ne dass » *»1 toe. The class, "Medical Terminology/ was Soil Ind
ght online in less than one year from initial conceptualization to finished product.

The paper will address 6 aspects of the project:

1. The collaborative effort

2. Faculty training

3. The design process

4. Hardware and software issues

5. Auxiliary multimedia interfaces

6. Third-party partnership

IlQEl

The Collaborative Effort:

?oL C i lab0 J atiVe n ff0 ^ was betwee " facully membere from Pellissippi State Technical Community
two .* ■ n , Knoxv,Ile - Termessee - “I* Northwestern Technical Institute in Rock Spring, Georgia These
two institutions are approximately 150 miles apart; they were drawn together by a series of chance

m, C 'nff erS T ha h T ‘ " thls project - The facul ‘y member at Pellissippi State is the Department Chair of

c^utX n ctd?n y g Pr08ram a " d " ad S ° me famiHarity With Web ' baSed inStmCti ° n ’ haVing OTated 3

The second instructor is the chair of the Nursing and Allied Health Department at Northwestern Technical
Insti ute and, prior to this effort, had never created any document for online use. Essentially both
developers were relative novices and so began the process with a relatively steep learning curve facing

The event that drew the two faculty members together was a piece of software to manage online courses
"TheT S a em§ ?? nSldere ? for P urchase - The software, a course management software application called
Thmn L ah g M . anager \ was bein S used at Pellissippi and was being implemented at Northwestern

° gh ~ Wlth tHe software vendor - Ms. Bryant and Ms. Grant were innocently thrown
together and, as fate would have it, discovered common interests and ways in which they could help each

Tnv Siifh Want6d t0 ° ffer 2 C ° UrSe in mediGal terminol °gy for their office technology students but lacking

Zted tn P f? gnimS 00 CampU j.’ ^ n0t haVe the Curricular ex P erdse to develop the course. Northwestern
anted to offer an existing medical terminology class on the web to facilitate student scheduling and to

initia,ive but did not have the technicaI expertise in the Allied Health

At the first exploratory meeting between the two colleges, faculty and administrators worked to determine

?®7 ablllty °! such a J0int effort - 0nce 11 was determined that there were no accreditation issues that the

Ji Uie COmpetencies 211(1 text t0 be used - ^d that the course could be developed so that it

could be taught as a semester course or a quarter course, the only thing left to do was begin work.

At a second meeting the course development tasks were divided among the twn insfimtirmc m

charged with developing the instructional modules and dealing with content issues. Peliissippi W wa s em

An Intestate Collaborative Approach to Web-based Instruction

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ilopj

Faculty Training:

S' hiSTT^nZS 'T*"' iSSUe eari , y 0n Since ’ even thou 8 h one of the developers had experience
using html, the other developer was a complete novice. The problem was how to best use the technical
expertise and curricular expertise of these two individuals.

The learning curve included developing a mastery of new software; working through instructional strategy
issues many of which were discovered as a part of the instructional design process

additinnpH m0nStr H te ^ § t0 2 ? m0lB audience - In hindsight and in the best of all possible worlds §
additional time and training in the use of software products would have been very beneficial to all ’

involved. In fact, to ensure success and minimize attrition, early education and SinLg is esslntfi

As Demse Grant of Northwestern was the content expert, the task of developing the instructional modules
fell to her. Grant began with the existing medical tenninology class and proceeded to re-package it for
delivery on the web. This required learning how to use a piece of software created for the development of
web pages. Microsoft FrontPage 98 was chosen because it was available, relatively simple to use and
compatible with other software used at both institutions. As time passed, she was also required to learn to
ow to program using html. Northwestern provided some instruction in the use of the software and
provided released time for the development of the class. Gaye Biyant of Pellissippi was Technical
expert and as such worked with Grant to ensure an understanding of the course management software
Bryant also managed the process of installing test files and test data banks in the Learning Manager.

Uo pl

The Design Process:

JnL d f i8 , n r ce f was 1 8re u d up0n 0ver a of several months ™d took advantage of the experience
knowledge of several other faculty from both institutions who were also working on web classes.

Ms^BryanUef abcwuhetasknf ‘ “ V “ ° f * d ? ign team ° f faCulty and staff at Northwestern and
s. aryant set about the task of creating a framework around which their web-based course could be

developed. Des.gn team members from both institutions were guided by the following considerations.
Alternative delivery courses should provide for asynchronous instructional delivery.

• Alternative delivery courses should be available on demand

• Alternative delivery courses should include e-mail in the communication protocol
Alternative delivery courses should provide for the participation in labs from remote sites

Alternative delivery courses should allow for simulation

Alternative delivery courses should include all aspects of the course of study or supplements to the

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An InteVstate Collaborative Approach to Web-based Instruction

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course of study that are made available to the student in a traditional class,

r gn team agreed up °" ^

classes. These design consideratiorate^also^iscussed^i^ developers at PeHissippi.

2. A common f 0 nrna-i.e.,-toS traditional course.

4.' Cowsedeve^opmem ““r.^ “ d by a " deVel °P-'

5 ' course m die w'eb.^ ^ ° nli " e “ h °“ Se dass in a P ilot P h “= before publishing the

6. Each online course would contain the samp nr nt , ,e, • •>

7. The syllabus format would be as similar to the trlditV 7 ^ ^ earnmg activities -

web classes in Appendix A.) aditional course as possible. (See syllabus format for

l^t^ ° f ri PanS ' ° f •>““ "»y P- there are a,

deciston deals with ma n Whe " Creati " g a course for the web ' °"=

student will be required to learn or master One of th I ° rganizatl0n of competencies that the
format would be modular ThTsecond decision , V deC ,' S '°" S made Was that the design
components such ^r" 0 " ° f the «me

(See figure A.) * 8 ’ simulations, learning activities, assessment, etc.

FIGURE A

^BUS 212 Micio 3 oII Internet Explorer

| J ffe Edit View Go Favoltes hep

Technical I r s : i i ut e

Jrife Of Sti dy
Learning A^tivitipc f

Pronurci ation

Resources

Examination:

Welcome to Northwestern Technical
Institute

Anatomy and Terminology
BUS 212

Let us get started on the road to a Technical
Certificate in Medical Receptionist,

Instructor : Danis* Grant > . . ; V -. . .. ■

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BEST COP Y AVAILABLE

An Interstate Collaborative Approach to Web-based Instruction

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3 Syllabua Microsoft Internet Explori

— - v -~ s & •*?»»" v ~^ *»•- »• y 1A*A: " • ■ •'

Technical (rj.iiut

I eff^ SpPSj^J

aaaSKBgm CK 13- Workingyith Micro softWindawSofW-*

Bistructor: Ms. G. Sabins .

FtiDne. '"705,764-3714 E-mail: RSabne@adniinl.v/alter.tec^a.us
IS Crpdtl Hfs.: 3,

Course Description

Provides stu4en: with the interface concepts o: Microsoft Windows
software and the; pppo^irit/ he sVills n a

wide range of business s:tuatior.s. - •■•-.■--

Grant and Bryant chose to deal with the course competency areas in the form of instructional modules The
competencies were the same as those taught in the traditional class. Modules were arranged to match the
academic calendar. For this particular course a minor adjustment was required as Northwestern is on a
quarter calendar and Pellissippi is on a semester system. However, because the course was developed in

modules, it was a simple problem to resolve. The calendar of learning activities had both a semester option
and a quarter option. F

Each of the modules consisted of a self-contained instructional package including goals of the module,
specific learning objectives, various types of learning resources, and assessments. By design, students were
forced to satisfactorily complete a module before moving on to the next.

The components of this course differed somewhat from those of other developers, but each developer did
adhere to a mutually agreed upon course template, course design format, and page format. Typically,
owever, all initial web courses developed consisted of units of study or modules, both online and off-line
resources, learning activities, and examinations. The specific components of this course are described

Home - This button brings you back to this page.

Syllabus - This page contains a copy of the course syllabus.

Modules - This is the backbone of the course. BUS 212 is broken down into 16 modules each
containing a number of objectives. The student must successfully complete one module to progress
to the next. At the end of each objective, a button exists that will link the student to the next
objective. If at any time the students become lost, they can click the Module button on the side of
every page and it will bring them back to the beginning. Upon completion of each module the
student will be required to complete a test. Students who do not successfully complete the test may
trace back through the module until they are able to successfully complete that module's test

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An Interstate Collaborative Approach to Web~based Instruction

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IZqeI

Resources - This page contains online resources and URL hyperlinks.

Pronunciation - This page links the students to a CD disk developed by the college and supplied to

the students when they register for the course. It is a vocabulary list and aural pronunciation guide
corresponding to each module. g

Learning Activities - This page is a set of activities that help reinforce student learning These
activities are referenced to each module and to the text.

Examnations - This page contains all of the examinations. Examinations are drawn randomly from

? ‘u T 1S JT a " ew for each student - The examinations are managed and
g d automatically by The Learning Manager, a course management software application.

Hardware/Software Issues

Hardware issues were relatively easy to agree upon. Computer requirements for the class are as follows.
Computer Requirements:

Windows 95, 486dx or faster MacOs 7.5.5 or later, Power
Processor, 8 MB of RAM or PC processor, 16 MB of RAM

more, 14.4 kbps modem or or more, 14.4 kbps modem or faster

faster, sound card, speakers.

Internet An ISP is a company that can provide the software

Service necessary for getting onto the Internet. Contact Provider your local ISP to set
account. Without an ISP, it is impossible to take a class online.

up your personal

Email Since it is our primary form of communication, you must have

Account an email address prior to applying or registering. Generally, your ISP will give you an email
account. Please contact your ISP if you are unsure of your email address.

Java You will need a JAVA compliant browser. For the Java Compliant capable browser we recommend
Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0.2Web Browser (or higher) or Netscape Navigator 3.0.1 (or higher) You
can download a current version free. 5 J '

Software issues presented some interesting options. The design tool chosen for this course was Microsoft
FrontPage 98. It was the software being used at Northwestern for all of the web initiatives. It was
compatible with the word processing software being used at both colleges, and all development team
members agreed that, even though not perfect, it did result in an acceptable product and it had a short
earning curve. However, even with FrontPage98, both developers still had to rely heavily on html coding
to incorporate other multimedia resources and to ensure a pleasing and consistent format.

The particular course being described in this presentation presented some unique problems as it relied
heavily on sound and graphics. These problems were solved by using alternative integrated multimedia
formats such as CD/ROM disks for the aural pronunciation guide and interactive graphics programs for
nmnt and click anatomical identification programs.

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Third Party Partnerships:

The element that brought these two developers together and the element that binds this particular course
together is The Learning Manager. The Learning Manager was developed at Southern Alberta Technical
nstitute in British Columbia. Version 2.0, the most current version, is compatible with Windows 95.

P hT C t beg T’ the Leaming Mana S er was bei "g use d at Pellissippi and so was a known
svsttm t! n r0U8 U T mU n f deb attnbutes to the project. First, it served as an umbrella management
J ' a .°^ e and restncted student access to the various components of the course; it tracked student
progress; and it served as a gateway to other resources such as CDs, URLs, and disks. Secondly it served

f ? T T,? fr ° m a teS ‘ bank ’ make thosc tests a '' ailable «o tl >e students at the propet time,

Man a per f KC °? I 1 * SCOres ' ° ne major benef “ t0 usi "8 a software application like The Leaming

Manager is that it frees the instructor from scheduling and grading examinations 8

ITopl

Lessons Learned:

BUS 212 is now in its second quarter of operation. Considering the distance problem, the fact that two
separate institutions were collaborating on its development, and the short development calendar the course
has been relatively trouble free. However, we have learned some lessons.

1 .

2 .

6 .

8 .
9.

10 .

11 .

12 .

13.

14.

15.

16.

ERjt

Any assumption you have about a student’s ability to understand hardware and software
requirements for an online course are probably overly optimistic

Student motivation is no mean issue. A mature, self-directed student will be much more successful
than will one who needs constant or even intermittent attention.

Every online student should have a password that is required to get into the course.

Software packages that propose to solve all of your web publishing problems probably won’t There

is no way to get around leaming html.

Intuitiveness is in the eye of the beholder. What is perfectly clear to the developer is perfectly
opaque to the student. F F y

Excitement will sustain the developer early on drudgery will rear its ugly head after about three
modules have been developed.

Student misunderstandings take on geometric proportions and multiply like rabbits when using
threaded discussion groups. 5

The developer’s leaming curve is marked by mistakes. Trial and error are standard fare.

l^pr^ablyXomi? 61 ^ ^ StUd6ntS a teacher can effectively deal with the first time a class is offered

Attrition is going to be high, about 40%, unless stringent admission standards are applied
Assuming an online student is relatively computer literate may be a dubious assumption ‘

Time and effort required to manage an online class of 15 students is about the same as that required
to manage a traditional 5 credit-hour-class. 4

Development of an online class will take approximately 6 months if a faculty member is released ■/,

Developing acceptable assessment methods will be one of the major obstacles to be overcome ‘
The course will be ever evolving due to changes the instructor wants to make, changes in
technology, and unforeseen problems that must be addressed

Be wary of tying the online course too closely with a particular text. If the text changes or you decide
to change texts, then the entire online course has to be revised. On the other hand the online course
should be referenced closely with a text and not redundant.

An Interstate Collaborative Approach to Web-based Instruction

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17 • * “ r institution <*« copyrigh, belongs to the college. Establish this or some other arrangement
18 . Good Luck!

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APPENDIX A

Syllabus Format for WEB Based Courses
Northwestern Technical Institute

Credit Hours:
Lecture Hours:

Lab Hours:
Email:

Course Name and Number

Instructor Name
Office Location

Office Hours
Telephone:

Catalog course description:

Various disclaimer’s if required:

Entry level requirements if needed:

System Requirements to take full advantage of learning materials:
Prerequisites:

Required text and other reference material including non-text based materials, including
url of online bookstore.

Recommended supplemental materials including non text-based materials
Content by week, by topic, by unit, etc. (called modules )

Course competencies (called goals )

Instructional Objectives ( including knowledge skills) (called objectives)

Learning Activities including online activities, text based activities, and CD-based activities
Course requirements - assignments, term papers, projects, etc. with due dates
Practice examinations - (called self-assessment)

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Evaluation procedure ( called assessment)

Work ethic requirement
Grading scale

Policies and procedures for course operation
Policy on academic dishonesty

Communication with instructor and bulletin board policies and procedures

Module Format

Credit Hours:
Lecture Hours:

Lab Hours:
Email

Module Name and or Number
Goal:

Objectives:

Learning Activities:

Readings, Text
Readings, Links
Pronunciation Activities
Written Assignments
Self Assessment-
Assessment:

Communication With Instructor:

Hop]

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Web-Based Class

Course Name and Number
Instructor Name

Office Location

Office Hours
Telephone:

■TO"

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

1996 ASTD Multimedia Authoring Software Directory. (1996, May). Training & De vPlnnm^nr 50 ^

43-46. ’ LiL

/axmirong, G. (i.996). One Approach to Motivating Faculty to Use Multimedia. T.H.E. Journal. 23 (10}

Bisman, J. (1996, April). Occasional Papers in Open and Distance Learning, Number 19.

Bitter, G. G & Pryor, B. W. (1996, April). Toward Guidelines for Research & Development of
Interactive Multimedia: The Arizona State University TMMUIV Project. P

Blumhardt, J. H., & Cross, L. R. (1996, January). Making the Jump(s) into Cyberspace: A Discussion on
Distance Learning Paradigm Shifts Required for the 21 st Century. ED, Education at a Distant lOfi)

SrSeriefsi’ (1 " 6) ' ^ PUrP ° SeS of m Sher Education in the 21« Century. Higher Education

Burke, J. J. (1996). Using E-Mail to Teach: Expanding the Reach of BI. Research Strategies, 14 m 36-43
Caudron, S. (1996, May). Wake Up to New Learning Technologies. Training & Development 50 /5i

Educato^l 9^f^ 5 EleCtr0niC Rdd TripS: Using TechnoI °gy ^ Enhance Classroom Instruction. Rural

Eggers, R. M„ & McGonigle, D. (1996). Internet-Distributed College Courses: Instructional Design Issues.
Freud, R. (1996, June). Community Colleges and the Virtual Community.

Technology! J ' <Ed ' ) ' Competencies Needed Design “"d Deliver Training Using Instructional

Technology’ ’’ (Ed ' > ' C ° mpe ‘ enCieS Needed ,0 Desi S n and Deliver Training Using Instructional
g^’ 2 L 2 ( February). Lessons in Developing Distance Learning. Performance and Instruction rs

Gariand, V E„ & Loranger, A. (1996). The Medium and the Message: Interactive Television and Distance
Education Programs for Adult Learners. Journal of Educational Technology 94 p) i 249-57

Sms 2 ’ (1 " 6, MafCh 11} ' LeSS ° nS in Cor P° rate Training: Multimedia’s Big Payoff. NewMedia 6 ( 4 )

ERIC

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di * Sof — Concept, Process,

Sys,eras for Employee E “-

16) ' TeCl,n0l ° 8i “ l Chalte "*“ : Designing Large Compressed

information for Web-Based Training Developers. (1996, May). Training & Development 50 (5} 54.
Kerka, S. (1996). Distance Learning, the Internet, and the World Wide Web. ERIC Digest.

P '* & VettCr ’ R ' (1 " 6, May) ' Pioneerin S on the New Frontiers of Education. Computer ?Q

SSs^ 997 ’ MarCh) - EXPl0ring MUltimedia Training, laming &

Lee, S. H. (1996). Criteria for Evaluating and Selecting Multimedia Software for Instruction.

Ljutic, A. (1996, May). Learning to Telecommunicate — Distance Learning Projects in T ecc n^vpinn^ri
Countries. Learning with Technology 23181 65-67. 8 0JCCtS ln Less - D eveloped

Mende, R. (1996, May 28). Building Global Communities through the Internet.

^veCmemToo* SChWier ’ R ' A ' 0 " 6 ’ FebrUai7) ' Beneflts and Pi,faIis “fusing HTML as a CD-ROM

Moller, L. & Draper D. (1996). Examining the Viability of Distance Education as an Instructional
Approach. Journal o f Continuing Higher Education, 44 HV 12-21.

Moore M. O. (Ed.). (1996) Tips for the Manager Setting Up a Distance Education Program American
Journal of Distance Education Kim 1.5 nugram. American

^Te°' w’ & Kampmueller : w - « 996 )- Two-Way Video Distance Education: Ten Misconceptions
about Teaching and Learning via Interactive Television. Action in Teacher Education . 7 r^ Sf, °

SS Sn” 1 * 8 a MUltimedia AUth ° r: C ° UrSeS and Pr ° gramS f0r Emedia

Video c'd'rom f & Y ' K ' (199S) ' Converting a Traditional Multimedia Kit into an Interactive

Video CD-ROM. Journa l of Educational Technology Sv^ms. 23 HI 235—48

SSSS" Distance Leaming Techno,ogy: A s “ w

^“d Beyond" 6 ’ ^ C ° nSidera,io " s for the Development of a Higher Education Agenda for the

Ross, J. A. (1996, April). Computer Communication Skills and Participation in a Computer-Medicated

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Conferencing Course.

for Successful Planning and DCTei °p™"''

Educadon 1 " 6 ’ DellVering an A ’ S ’ Engineering Degree Program through Home Study Distance

Sherritt, C. (1996, January). A Fundamental Problem with Distance Programs in Higher Educadon.
Terrell, S. (1996, March). From Teaching to Learning: Transition in Distance Education.

Tulloch, J. (1996, February). Seven Principles for Good Practice in Distance Learning.

Wilhams, H. M. (1996, January). Curriculum Concepdons of Open Learning: Theory Intendon and
Student Experience in the Australian Open Learning Initiative. ^ intention and

Contacts:

SnHn?rTwio’ Department Chair, Allied health and Nursing, Northwestern Technical Institute, Rock
Spring, GA 30739, email: dgrant@northwestem.tec.ga.ns ’

Ms. Gay Bryant, Department Chair, Office Technology,
Knoxville, TN email: gbrvant@pstcc.cc tn ns

Pellissippi State Technical

Community College,

Dr Daryl Gilley, Vice President for Instruction, Northwestern Technical
Telephone: email: dgillev @north western. tec. ea. ns

Institute, Rock

Spring, GA 30739,

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Moving Web-Based Courses to the Next Level

Dr. Roger Von Holzen

Director— Center for Information Technology in Education
Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, MO

In their fear of being left behind, most universities have "thrown" curriculum materials out on the web
and then announced that they are offering web courses. In reality, most of these materials are glorified
syllabi. At Northwest Missouri State University's Center for Information Technology in Education
(CITE), an effort is being made to move web courses to the next level. This presentation will provide
examples of courses produced under CITE that demonstrate such attributes.

Moving Web-Based Courses to the Next Level

It seems as though nearly every article written and conference presentation given screams out about the
urgency with which universities need to begin offering World Wide Web-based courses. The ensuing
fear generated has led most colleges and universities to place curriculum materials out on the web and
then announce to the world that they are offering web-based courses. In reality, though, most of these
materials are glorified syllabi containing course outlines, reading assignments, and links to relevant web
sites. Instead of being a paradigm shift, this is simply a reshuffling of the old correspondence courses.

At Northwest Missouri State University's Center for Information Technology in Education (CITE), a
concerted effort is being made to move web-based courses to the next level where a true change in the
paradigm becomes evident. A critical component to this next level is the incorporation of interactivity
into the web-based course materials.

One form of interactivity is student-controlled tutorials produced using PowerPoint or Toolbook II
software. Such tutorials should enable students to control the pace of the presentation and interact with
examples and linked materials.

Another form of interactivity that can be used is online quizzes. The quizzes can be generated either
using the Toolbook II software or the built-in quiz options incorporated with web site management
software. The quizzes can be used by the students to evaluate their progress through the course materials
and/or provide the instructor with indication of student progress.

One final form of interactivity that can help move a web course to a higher level is the incorporation of
threaded discussions. Such discussions can be used to integrate students more fully into the learning
process while aiding in the building of a web community.

Through the examples listed above, web-based course materials can be moved well beyond the
traditional correspondence course. But these suggestions alone won't create a truly interactive web
course unless a concerted effort is made by both the instructor and the students to actively become
involved in the whole learning process.

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Putting Real Presentations on the Web

Putting "Real" Lectures on the Web

Delbert L. Hall, Ph.D.

East Tennessee State University

In 1997, a faculty member at my university complained to me being asked to teach an online biology
course. "I just want to give my lectures that same way I’ve always done them. I should not have to
completely revamp the course and everything about it, just because it is taught via the Internet," he told
me. Having spent his entire lifetime taking classes and now teaching in traditional classroom settings,
the ideal of teaching an Internet-based course seemed to equate to be asked to teach his classes in a
foreign language that he did not know how to speak. When he taught hearing-impaired students he had
not had to learn American Sign Language. The university provided signers for this function. But, no one
was going take his lectures and help him create the online course materials for his class. He explained
that he was a biologist, not a computer programmer, so why should he spend countless hours learning to
communicate via the computer so that a few students could take his course from their homes instead of
coming to his class?

As this faculty member poured-out his frustration about what he had been asked to do, I felt sympathy
for him. I knew the man and knew that this was not a lazy individual, but one that saw this task as a
waste of his time. Time that he wanted to devote to his research and to the vast majority of the students
that he would teach in traditional classes. He wanted to be innovative and he wanted to help his
department expand into new areas, but this just seems like an incredible amount of work with very little
reward. As much as I wanted to help him I did not have a solution for his problem.

In July 1998, 1 agreed to teach a course in Introduction to Theatre over the Internet be next semester.
Remembering the plea for help that had been put to me about a year earlier by the biologist, I began
investigating possibilities for helping me put my lectures on the Internet without spending huge amounts
of time on the course. Since I would also be teaching a section of Introduction to Theatre via
Instructional Television (ITV) during the same semester I would be teaching the Internet based section
of this course, I wondered if there was a way to combine these two sections. I knew that several courses
at East Tennessee State University are presented via videotape. Students in these courses go to the
library and view videos that are made of their instructor’s lectures. One solution to the problem above
might have been to create videos of the lectures and place them on the Internet using one of the
streaming video technologies. Although this sounds good, the reality of video over the Internet was still
a long way from being practical. Products such as Microsoft NetShow, VDO, RealNetworks' RealMedia
and others have improved the size and quality of streaming video in recent years. But still, video images
broadcast over the Internet are usually small and fuzzy compared to TV images, and are not suitable for
displaying detailed drawings or text information needed in teaching.

My investigation lead me discover that there were several software products that would allow me to turn
PowerPoint presentations, along with a recorded audio track, into online presentations. Since I had
extensive PowerPoint presentations to accompany my lectures for this course, this seemed to be a good
option. Also, I had done some successful work streaming audio over the Internet using the RealAudio
Server and felt comfortable with this technology. Two of the programs I investigated allowed large,
detailed images to be displayed over the Web, and also allowed the user to "pause" the presentation, or
start the presentation at any point desired. And one of these programs allowed the users to view these
presentations from their Web browser without the need of a special client that had to be purchased.
Fortunately, this program, AudioPoint by Competitive Edge Software, was also the most reasonably
priced of all of the products I investigated.

AudioPoint gets it name from the two programs that it uses to help create online presentations -
Real Audio and Powe rPoint . About three weeks before the beginning of Fall semester, I purchased
AudioPoint and began creating test presentations. AudioPoint has two parts: an Encoder for keeping

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r .

track of the time each slide in the PowerPoint presentation is displayed, and a Postprocessor for creating
the actual online presentation files. I experimented with different image sizes for the presentation and
different audio qualities. The images in the presentation are created in PowerPoint using the "Save as
HTML" feature. After a little experimentation, I settled on making my images 512 x 384 pixels (half size
of 1024 x 768) JPG images. This size images filled most of the screen when the monitor resolution was
set to 640x480 or 800x600, two common resolution sizes. I also settled on encoding my sound at 8.5
kps. This size was small enough to stream well over the Internet while having a respectable sound
quality. With a little practice (I only created three test presentations before the beginning of the
semester) I developed my skills for creating online presentations with AudioPoint.

During the semester, I created fourteen lectures that were presented over the Internet. During my class
that was broadcast over Instructional Television, I used the AudioPoint encoder to record the time each
slide in my PowerPoint presentation that was displayed. This was done as I made my presentation to the
students in this class. AudioPoint also recorded my cursor movements on the screen when I used the
cursor to point to items on specific slides during the presentation. As I gave the presentation, the lecture
was also recorded on videotape. I used this videotape to later encode the audio using RealEncoder 3.0, a
free utility from Real Networks. Because the audio was created at the same time the encoder recorded
the timings of the PowerPoint presentation, I was able to later synchronize these together. Next, the
AudioPoint Postprocessor was used to create the processed audio file (an .RM file that will stream over
the Internet using RealServer 5.0) and an array of other files needed to create the online presentation. A
typical online lecture for my course lasted about one hour and took about 8 Meg of storage space on my
hard drive. Neither AudioPoint nor RealAudio limits the length of your online presentations.

Students in the class clicked on links on the class Web page to select the lecture that they wished to see
and hear. This launched a Web page with an embedded player and automatically started the selected
presentation. AudioPoint does require the user to have either RealPlayer 5.0 or RealPlayer G2. Both can
be downloaded free from RealNetwork's Web site http://www.real.com .

AudioPoint2, the current version, does not work properly with the RealServer G2, only RealServer 3.0
and RealServer 5.0. However, the G2 player, the newest version of RealPlayer, will play files streamed
from RealServer 5.0. A new version of AudioPoint that will work with the RealServer G2 is planned for
release in the summer of 1999. Free versions of RealNetworks' RealServers are available from their Web
site at http://www.real.com .

AudioPoint worked extremely well for my needs. Creating my online lectures was easy and took
relatively little time since the big job of creating the PowerPoint presentation was already done, and the
audio was recorded when I gave the presentation to my ITV class. The students in this class reported
great success in getting the lectures. In fact, many students in my ITV class also reported watching and
listening to these lectures over the Internet when they missed the regular lecture. More information on
AudioPoint can be found on the company's Web site at http://www.cesoftware.com .

Delbert L. Hall, Ph.D.

East Tennessee State University

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Hypermediated Learning Environments

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/means.htm

Hypermediated Learning Environments:

Students Collaborating with Technology

H. Willis Means Mary S. Love

Assistant Professor of Elementary Education Graduate Assistant

Department of Elementary & Special Education Department of Elementary & Special Education
Middle Tennessee State University Middle Tennesse State University

Abstract

Introduction

Methodology

Results

Discussion

References

Contacts

Abstract:

Pre-service elementary education teachers enrolled in an educational technology course participated in a
semester-long collaboration with technology. The course provided them with the opportunity to apply
previously learned theory, assess, design, develop, and implement solutions to educational problems.

The course culminates in the student identification of an educational problem: the design and
development of a piece of hypermedia software to enable a learner to work with the technology to arrive
at a potential solution.

[Topi

Introduction:

There are three basic ways technology may be used in a classroom: (1) as an instructional resource, (2)
as a learning tool, and (3) as a storage device (Perkins, 1992). The proposed course is designed to
provide the students with the opportunity design, develop and implement a piece of instructional
technology that enables them to see how each interacts with others resulting in a solution to an
educational problem incorporating technology.

The philosophical foundation for re-design of Educational Technology in the Elementary School, is
constructivism. Constructivists believe learners to be active seekers and constructors of knowledge and
they come to the classroom with an innate curiosity and goals (Brooks & Brooks, 1993; Fosnot, 1989).

A course having constructivism as its philosophical base is a problem-solving course featuring the use of
authentic tasks, complex real-life problems, and the integration of knowledge and skills from a variety of
resources in the search for the problem's solution.

The primary feature of the course is the use of authentic learning contexts. This was be accomplished
through a combination of anchored instruction and generative learning activities and to accomplish this a
form of Grabinger's (1996) Rich Environments for Active Learning (REAL) were used. REALs are
comprehensive learning systems that are characterized by the following:

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f< l w ° f th f C °u rSe I s thC USe of authentic learning contexts. This was be accomplished
rough a combmahon of anchored instruction and generative learning activities and to accomplish this a

rn™ ° h ra - in ^ Cr S Rich Environments for Active Learning (REAL) were used. REALs are
comprehensive learning systems that are characterized by the following:

They are based on constructivist learning theory and philosophy

They promote study and investigation within authentic, that is, realistic, relevant, complex and
information-rich environments; F ’

They encourage students to assume responsibility for their learning, develop initiative, foster
decision-making, and promote intentional learning;

They cultivate an atmosphere of cooperative learning;

They utilize dynamic, generative learning activities that promote high-level thinking processes (i e

alysis, synthesis, problem-solving, experimentation, creativity, and the examination of a topic
from a variety of perspectives); H

They permit the assessment of student progress within context of realistic tasks and performances.

(Grabinger, 1996, p. 668).

The use of REALs in an instructional technology course encourages integration and comprehensiveness
Integrapon (Hannafin, 1992) is the process of linking new knowledge toSd, modifying and enriching
existing knowledge, and enhancing depth of knowledge about a topic. Goldman observes 8

These environments are designed to invite the kinds of thinking that help students develop general
skills and attitudes that contribute to effective problem solving, plus acquire specific concepts and
principles that allow them to think effectively about particular domains

(Goldman, et al, 1992, p. 1).

Comprehensiveness refers to the importance of linking learning to reaUstic contexts rather than
deconKxtua ' 2 ,n g and compartmentalizing it. The use of REALs guides the learner, mediates the
nd " le . arn,n f and su PP° rts the tart decision-making. The content of the REALs is organized

h f f° CUS '. s .“. pon projects that Promote problem-solving and linking of concepts and knowledge
toward a solution within a environment. wiuwicuge

Anchored instruction was used to provide the student with an opportunity to develop instruction that is
responsive to the identified learning issues. This approach has certain advantages over the

time 01 7nTl ^ ^ First ’ il develo P s P r0 J ect management skills such as creating a

time-line, interpersonal skills needed to function as a member of a team, and learning how to allocate

resources. Second, it facilitates the development of research skills including the ability to determine the
nature of a problem, asking questions that elicit pertinent information, searching for new MoZTon
eve oping new information, and analyzing and interpreting information. Third, it assists in the
development of organizational and representation skills including the selection of and structure of
information developing representations of information (text, audio, graphic, etc.) in a way that facilitates
its understandmg, arranging the structure and sequencing of the information, and responding to equipment
time, and budgetary constraints. Fourth, it provides the student with an opportunity to develop and nractice

fnstnTf 110 " f 1S - F ; nal ! y ’ U , pr ® sen f s the student with an opportunity to think reflectively about what
msmiction is being developed, how it does or does not meet the goals and objectives, and how it can be

modified to better accomplish the learning outcomes (Carver, Lehere, Connell, Erickson, 1992).

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However much a student enrolled in Educational Technology in the Elementary School may learn about

Hyperr'iediated Learning Environments

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconfyproceed99/means.htm

t * “st T hno, °^ on the ie ™ ing **« *

abl f to recognize how each “

rather, it is stodents^d appropriate fn^T '

us,ng various types of instmctional technology under the di^S^S^SlSSSXSS profeSal.

m7 Twu mC , Um r P ? P0Sed b I Sche " in his 111166 works on reflective reaching and design (1993
apoh-ati - ts^ -8 ■£• ? ° : n ^° d “ Ce the StUdent 10 • -‘aasroom theory, then a practicum in its
to P iam to disten-'lSch^ %?'„ '° US6 instructional technology "must practice in order

CaTom Sodi' A d w e„ ^ toden faS heZ Str'c 6 ^ b “‘ " 01 *

are more like coaching than teaching “"S £££ ““ “ ^

^“ Cb0 " al design is 6 creative “^ty and the • reflective conversation" a student has with the materials
| k a ?i' insights, meanings, and variant applications of technology. For several reasons it is almost

Sn^nTS^nr “ ‘° deSig " and ^-ntSvelopmentel,”^'

mibpSn-fnSn 0 " ° f designing 3,111 lh6 >™wi„g-i„.action that corresponds to it must be

Designing must be grasped as a whole, by experiencing it in action.

Designing depends on the recognition of design qualities, which must be learned by doing
Description of designing are likely to be perceived initially as confusing, vague, arsons or
incomplete; their clarification depends on a dialogue in which understandings and
misunderstandings are revealed through action.

Because designing is a creative process in which a designer comes to see and do things in new wavs
no pnor description of it can take the place of learning by doing. k ’

(Schon, 1987, p. 162)

This instructional model has been shown to be effective in helping students "become more thoughtful and

Ca d n t P h e f r ^ in “ P-blem-solving

Zn ’ P ‘ S , b (1991) found that this a PP roa ch was more effective in developing reflective teachers
instructl0n - St0iber l00ked at 67 stu dents in a teacher education program with no
Lound^ ZVn J T°T m " n f gem , ent 0r teachin S- She divided the students into three groups organized
Z Z f f m ° del: technjcal > reflective, and control. The technical condition was bfsed upon
the acquisition of concepts, principles and techniques and is comparable to the instructional model P

str^ed^the cro^sZcti 11 Ed J catl0nal Tecbnol °gy in the Elementary School. The reflective condition
tressed the construction of concepts and principles based on existing knowledge structures Using

case-based learnrng the students focused on various aspects of the teaching process and is comparable to

instmrWl d m f th0ds Proposed for this revised course. In the third condition, control participants were
instructed in educational practices not related to classroom management. P P

IntoS 1113 «» conditions.

eite the technical or control conditions. Their ped“lo„mg cont ^

enWronmenu ^ studenl att,tudes ' The V a f sumeg more responsibility for developing posftive leatldng
envtronments and expressed more concern about student attitudes than either of the two other grou™ In

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Hypeirnediated Learning Environments

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i" i(S Pr0bIem - S0, ™« The

:^ 1 P ZT S of ,hemse,ves as so,ving probl - *”££ 22 %^^,^

^ualitati^ai^quanti^Uve^^e^ch^ombhf' UP ° n TV*** pri " dples and was supp ^ ^

practicums provided TlteZto fhe opZLTv ^ “ °" Wi ‘ h a " d

can be integrated in classroom instruction, if also affords the^mftf" f 10 n aI Sltuatl0 "s where technology

design, evaluate, and implement an inMrucS^wiSta^^!' 0pp f 0r,um !>' t0 assess -
problem-a decided improvement over the decontextual.zed app^ch i«SsT“

Ho p]

Methodology:

an educadoTa problem or 5EtaS^ Scho ° ls < N =‘ 18 > — requited to identify

students were required to idS fhf n obTem - h , b ? USmg eleCtronic mentation software. The
presentation to the analysis ’ and presen( an infomal

the students were given approximately six weeks toim p lememTe?r e d d efigm UCt ' F °" 0wins the presen(ation

assistant were available 0 ^^vid^awUtMC^Mtd^jdM^'nt^cIassroom^^ch^^rb* 6 ^'' 0 ^

“^““SrsToK S2£ “ on '. three “ pS - “ ™ :L 24

individually or in * ^1° With Student ' s w °*i"S °" P™jects

providing direction when requestedor as needed. "* aSS1Slance from each other - and the teaching staff

of the props' wem of this ««

we^^^stedto^a^f^ 1 ^^^^! 3 ^^^*©^ " “ ^ons of ^“ges^

the project's accomplishment of the stated instmctiona^ 11 ! 01121 /? C ]!^ n ’ effectlve use of technology, and
encouraged to make comments about the projects. ^ S ° bjectlves ' In addition ’ the judges were

designf and fm^^ma^rfaswdf^myfCTnm^t^^^'whh^fto m^e^abouuhe course. C ° UrSe ’ * ts

Hop]

Results:

g ■ - y - ars rr

least two of the judges. differences in design and implementation were noted by at

Hype ^mediated Learning Environments

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/means.htm

Th6y dS0 Ihe “ components of the course and the

npp ]

Discussion:

While the judges rankings did not result in a significant difference between the control group (projects
from a prior semester) and the experimental group (the projects from the reflective pracfcum semester) the

v^ue^/coh^ d 't P w° V,d t e S ° me P0SitWe indicators - First > students recognized the

value ot collaborative learning in the development of a multimedia project. Second, the students seemed to

FinalW°fhe fr0m & St “ d,0 ' ba ;> ed class than through formal presentations and instructor-designed activities
ally, they were able to share amongst themselves a variety of ways electronic presentation software can
be used to enhance classroom instruction. wuwdrecan

Hop]

References:

Alexandria 0 ' H"*' 11 1 °nindfr;tandin g : Th e Case for constructivist ,

Alexandna, VA. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Carver, S.M., Lehere, R„ Connell, T., & Erickson, J. (1992). Learning by hypermedia design: Issues of
assessment and implementation. Educational Psychologist . 27, 385-404

lnqUinng Lfarnm ' * tWIOMh for Teaching , New

fw m\ S ' R h Pe “ Sin0 ’ A -' Sh t e ™ 004 RD - Garrison, S„ Hickey, D„ BransfordJ.D., & Pellegrino,

. •• timedia environments for enhancing science instruction. Paper presented at the NATO Advanced
Study Institute on Psychological land Educational Foundations of Technology-Based £am£g
Environments. Kolymbari, Greece. 8

SseSfor FHnJ! f 96) ‘ fr CH envir0nments for active leamin g- ^ D.H. Jonassen (Ed), Handbook of
Re search for Educational Communications and Technolog y ( pp . 665-692). New York:Macmillan.

Schon, D.A. (1983). Jh e reflective practitioner: How professional t h ink in action. New York: Basic Books.

Schon, D A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner: Toward a new desien for teaching and lamina
in theprofessions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. anu learning

Teachem CoHege Iricss.~ e ^ ^ in dnd ° n ^ uc ^' nnal New York.-

Stioter, K.C (1991). The effect of technical and reflective pre-service instruction on pedagogical
reasoning and problem solving. Journal of Teacher FdimaHnn 42, 131-139.

Contacts:

H. Willis Means

Assistant Professor of Elementary Education

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uiaLCa naming Environments

RO^SS 05 E ' ementary & Spedal Edu «lion

Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37130
email: hm eans@mt.<;n pH.,

Mary S. Love
Graduate Assistant

p D S ofEIementaiy & Special Education

Middle Tennessee Stan* TTmW^,
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37130
email: msl2a@mtstLerin

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/murdock.htm

MAPP: A Multimedia Instructional Program for Youths with Chronic Illness

MAPP: A Multimedia Instructional Program for Youths with

Chronic Illness

Peggy O’Hara Murdock, PhD, Professor, HPERS, Middle Tennessee State University

Christopher McClure, MAPP Project Coordinator, University of Miami School of Medicine, Department

of Epidemiology & Public Health

Onelia G. Lage, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, University of Miami School of
Medicine , Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine

Dilip Sarkar, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Miami . Department of Mathematics & Computer

Science

Kimberly Shaw, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Miami School of Medicine,
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine

Abstract

Introduction

Goals and Objectives

Program Design

Methods and Materials

Evaluation

Results

Summary and Conclusion

References

Contacts

Abstract:

The Multimedia Approach to Pregnancy Prevention (MAPP) is an expert intelligence multimedia
program administered in outpatient and inpatient clinics in the University of Miami/Jackson Children’s
Hospital in Miami, Florida. The target population for the MAPP program is youths aged 9-14 years,
diagnosed with chronic illnesses (asthma, diabetes, and sickle cell disease). Program sessions take place
in a clinic setting, using a portable computer. Three sessions are developed on chronic illness and it’s
affects on sexual development. The major aim of MAPP is to strengthen intentions to postpone sexual
initiation and prevent pregnancy. Evaluation takes place by examining differences between a treatment
and control group on pre-post tests at baseline, 1, 3 and 6 months.

[Top]

Introduction:

Studies of adolescents show that chronically ill/disabled teens are at least as sexually active as their
peers, tend to have an earlier age of sexual debut, are more likely to have been sexually abused, have
poor knowledge of sexuality, low self-esteem, low social integration, and have over protective families
(Carrera, 1992). There is very little data on pregnancy complications and prevention programs targeted
at chronically ill youth. The poor health outcomes associated with "normal" teen pregnancies such as

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Studies of adolescents show that chronically ill/disabled teens are at least as sexually active as their Deers
tend to have an earlier age of sexual debut, are more likely to have been sexually abused, have poor ’
“f of sexual,t y> low self-esteem, low social integration, and have over protective families (Carrera
•n 7* 1 1S very little data on pregnancy complications and prevention programs targeted at chronically
1 yout . The poor health outcomes associated with "normal" teen pregnancies such as inadequate weight
gam during pregnancy, labor and delivery complications, low birth weight infants, and inadequate prenatal
care are well known. These risks are compounded for both the mother and the infant when pregnant
adolescents have a chronic illness (LaGreca, 1990).

Parent participation in programs for education about healthy sexuality and pregnancy prevention is an
important component for inclusion in pregnancy prevention for this population. When girls aged 12-14
years were involved in pregnancy prevention programs with a parent-daughter workshop component it has
been shown that they were less likely to initiate sexual intercourse than girls involved in assertiveness
traming/resisting peer influence program components (Postrado & Nicholson, 1992). By conducting
education during regularly scheduled clinic visits, the likelihood that parents will be in attendance is
increased. There is also a need to include males in health programs to promote sexual abstinence, and the
multimedia, computerized approach may be a way to engage young males in pregnancy prevention
education.

For younger aged youths (9-14) years, issues of confidentiality and disclosure of feelings about sensitive
health issues are difficult and often guarded. Youths in the US tend to be shy and self-conscious in talking
to their peers or partners about sexual issues. Physicians and teachers are not always available to take the
time that is necessary to conduct discussions about health behaviors, medications, and illness effects that
may impact sexual development and pregnancy outcomes. Thus, interventions are needed that protect
privacy and confidentiality, and provide opportunities for learning and follow-up discussions with
professionals and parents for youths with chronic illness.

Personal computers are being used more frequently to deliver health information, to develop positive
health behaviors, and to conduct health risk inventories and surveys (Skinner, 1993; Noell, 1997).
Multimedia programs now have the capability to use graphics, animation, sound and video clips to enhance
their appeal and to provide feedback to young users.

In the Adolescent Medicine inpatient unit at University of Miami/Jackson Children’s Hospital, computers
are already a popular choice for games and entertainment. In the Special Adolescent Clinic for HTV+ teens
the computers provide information to HIV+ youths about their illness and are a way of collecting sensitive’
interview information in a confidential manner.

There are unique characteristics of multimedia-based expert intelligent computerized programs that are
important for pregnancy prevention among chronically ill youth. It has been demonstrated that youths
prefer computers to human interviewing or advice for sensitive topics (Slack, 1971; Papemy, 1986). Using
a Teen Health Advisor software program (Papemy, 1997), over 4200 adolescents reported that they
preferred the computer to personal interviews about health and sexual practices (88% vs. 6%). Sixty five
percent of the youths described the computer in positive terms, such as, educational, truthful and fun.
Eighty-seven percent responded that they would use the computer again. In an evaluation of four software
modules developed for British youth on sexual topics, the youths, particularly males, found that using

computers in a game format was an enjoyable and informative way to convey information about sensitive
sexual issues (Turner, 1997).

Computer games concerning asthma have been shown to affect health behaviors positively among children
^(Rubin, 1986), and computer assisted instruction has been shown to enhance interactive skills with regard

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MAPP: k Multimedia Instructional Program for Youths with Chronic Illness

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/inurdock.htm

tosexual.ty without sensitive personal exposure present in class or group sessions (Kann, 1987) Paoemv
( 989) developed two computer games, "The Baby Game", and "Romance", for pregnancy prevention and
placed them in six pediatric clinics for use by teenage patients. The clinics showed a 15% decrease in
positive pregnancy tests for adolescents during the first year of use of the computer-assisted instruction
w ich was attributed to the computer games. Feedback from parents and male patients was positive.

JXopI

Goals & Objectives

The primary goal of MAPP is to strengthen the intention to postpone sexual initiation (and prevent

pregnancy) using a multimedia based expert intelligence approach for youths 9-14 years with chronic

disease.

The general objectives of the program are:

1. To deliver an abstinence based curriculum approach to pregnancy prevention for youths who attend
an adolescent medicine clinic that is specific to their disease diagnosis;

2. To compare knowledge, attitudes and intentions about sexual abstinence in a group of youth who
receive the MAPP approach versus those who receive standard care (SC) of print materials and
physician advice only in clinic visits;

3. To develop and deliver three modules using a multimedia expert based intelligence approach with
strategies that are fun, educational and targeted to youths with a specific chronic disease diagnosis;

4. To evaluate the results of the MAPP program in order to determine its effectiveness in changing
knowledge, attitudes and behavioral intentions, and the training and demands on personnel time that
are needed to install MAPP into the clinic setting.

f TopI

Program Design

Approximately 150 youths diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, and sickle cell disease who attend inpatient
and outpatient adolescent clinics at University of Miami/Jackson Children’s Hospital in Miami Florida are
being recruited into the MAPP program. Youths who are determined to meet the eligibility criteria and who
have parental consent are randomly assigned to either a MAPP program group (N=100) or the Standard
Care control group (N=50). Changes that occur pre-post in knowledge, attitudes about abstinence, and
changes in behavioral intention are measured between the two groups.

L Topl

Methods & Materials

Subjects. Eligibility criteria for enrollment into the program include age (9-14 years); diagnosis with a
chronic illness of asthma, diabetes, or sickle cell for at least 6 months; the ability to read and understand
English; and, a willingness to attend at least two (or more) consecutive monthly scheduled appointments.

Informed Consent. Consent for entering this program takes place through written consent forms for both
jouths and their parents. The program has been submitted and approved by the Institutional Review Board

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MAPP^ A Multimedia Instructional Program for Youths with Chronic Illness

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for the University and the Hospital.

Procedures. Youths are recruited into the MAPP Project based on patient appointment schedules for each
of the clinics. While waiting for their appointment with the clinician, youths are actively recruited to
participate in the project. Once eligibility criteria are established, youths are given a randomization packet
to complete which includes the baseline questionnaire and study consent forms. The participant opens an
enve ope w ic contains a randomization card, a user ID and password number (if appropriate to their
group assignment). Only the user ID numbers are used on the information forms for fracldng and follow-up
p rposes. Using the ID number and password allows the youth to log onto the computer and log files are

kept of each participant and record the date and 1 PT1 CTfh nf fimo fKow l rt /v/>pJ f ~ ^ 1 -

. - woR lug^eu untu tnc uumpuier, ana

h P " S “ t0 quenes 1 tllat take P lace throughout the program modules. There are 3 program modules each

a Z, U oT ? ' At '!? e " d ° f ModUle 1 (visit and Module 3 < visit 2 >- y ouths ** instructed
to take a form to them clinician (doctor or nurse). Clinic staff will complete the forms and give them to the
interventionist at the end of the clinic. S

The project personnel are in the clinic to facilitate utilization of the portable laptop computers by the
intervention group youth, set up racks with health information, and to complete the randomization packets.

Materials. The 3 MAPP modules were developed by the study investigators and staff, which include
pe latric adolescent medicine specialists, health educators, computer scientists, and adolescent
psychologists. The message concepts of the 3 modules are based on the Managing Pressures Before
Marriage - Postponing Sexual Involvement (PSI) program (Howard, 1996) and the March of
imes-funded, My Health is Worth It” project. Scripts for the modules were reviewed by a Youth

Prevent °0plDIfflS StUdy InVeStigators ’ and the consultams from the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy

“ e d S °H tWar r m °S'7 ?T' 0ped for the MAPP P r0 S ram are graphic, animated, and include use of
audio and v.deo clips. Module 1 consists of one module with three separate sub-modules, each one being

disease specific. Modu e 2 is concerned with making decisions and dealing with peer pressure about
initiating sex. n Module 3, youths leam to understand relationships and learn to handle peer pressure and

sex in those relationships. At the end of Module 3, the project staff asks youths if they wish to participate
in ongoing group programs at the clinic. F F

Multimedia Based Expert Intelligence Development. The steps to the development of the multimedia
program include: “

1. Documentation and Development of Ideas (DADI):

Development of lesson content outlines; review of message concepts; incorporation of instructional
& behavioral objectives; scientific group review (accuracy & age appropriateness); youth advisory
group review, and, outline role plays, games & and quizzes

2. Evaluation of DADI:

Two focus groups of youth review scripts; determination of information and decision points; project
feasiMity 1111116 SC16ntlfic accuracy; and> com P u ter specialist advises on technical aspects and

3. Development of Story Lines:

Development of logic flow charts including the list of situations, activities and decision points

4. Development of Handout Materials (DHMs):

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Design flowcharts and outlines of handout materials reviewed by key program and clinical staff for
content knowledge, accuracy and modification.

5. Program Specifications and Design (PSD):

Program development then takes place by the computer specialists and includes instructional design
using computer-aided instructional methods and word processing.

6. Development of Multimedia Components (DMCs):

Designs, scripts and handout outlines delivered to the computer specialists who work with the
animator/artist to develop the graphic art, animations, photo retouches and computer designs

7. Revision ofDHM and PSD:

Editing occurs of both the print handouts and computer modules to check reading levels text

simplification and to complete a grammar and punctuation check. Print handouts to parents are
translated to Spanish. F

8. Integration of DMCs:

Artist and programmers collaborate to create animations, artistic drawings and integrate sound
Review of Integrated DMCs:

Audio and video text are modified after a review by the Youth Advisory Group members and
Program staff, eligible youths who attend the clinic pilot test materials, which are not age or
disease-specific at this point.

10. Final Clinical Setups:

Installation of hardware and software. Set up a rack for handout print materials and developing
procedures for maintenance and quality assurance checks of programs and equipment.

Measurement Instruments.

? e ' P ° St Questionnaire: A pencil-paper survey with 17 questions has been developed for the MAPP project
from the Medical Knowledge Questionnaire, the Self-Efficacy for Abstinence/Contraception
Questionnaire, and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (for middle school youth). The questions were
modified by study investigators to be age and language appropriate.

Computer Log: Each youth in the intervention group will have a computer record on which data is entered
each time they login. Data collected will determine the number and length of sessions they complete; the
c oices an responses made to computer program queries; scores on quizzes in information activities-
changes in attitudes and communications that take place between sessions with clinical support staff and

figure modules ratin§ °" ** 6Valuation ° f the com P uter program for its ease, enjoyment and suggestions for

Module Development Logs: Evaluation of the elements of module development are tracked during this
process, by collecting variables, such as, amount of video, audio and animation, module themes software
programming, and importing multimedia segments.

Clime Checklist. A checklist with 5 questions is handed to the clinician who sees the patient for the
medical visit. The clinician takes the checklist and asks general questions regarding the material in the
modules, how this material makes them feel and if they wish to speak with anyone

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Evaluation

Process evaluation includes collecting measures on variables related to program timelines, technology
development schedules, materials review, and feedback from committee members, project staff and
consultants. All phases of the program are monitored to determine that the project meets timelines and
completes the program’s goals and objectives and workplan. Process measures include:

1. Advisory and focus group assessments

2. Technology development and implementation monitoring forms

3. Handout materials (brochures, flyers) counts

4. Computer based feedback

5. Clinician feedback forms

Outcome evaluation includes comparison of knowledge and attitude change toward sexual abstinence and
changes in behavioral intention to choose abstinence in both the intervention and the control group (as
measured by the Pre-post questionnaire).

The data analysis plan includes analysis of pre-post differences by chi-square and t-tests to test for
differences between the intervention and control group on outcome variables selected (knowledge, attitude,
and intentions). Descriptive statistics are used to summarize process variables and to determine if
differences in participation and results occur due to age, ethnicity or chronic illness diagnosis.

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Results

Preliminary results of the MAPP program show that 45 adolescents have been recruited and determined to
be eligible to participate in the program. Training has taken place in the clinics for 34 physicians nurses
and child life specialists to date. At this time, 30 subjects with a diagnosis of Type- 1 Diabetes have
completed Module 1. It is anticipated that the additional subjects will begin Module 1 during their next
scheduled appointments in the clinic, and that additional subjects will begin the Module 1 for sickle cell
disease and asthma in the near future. Due to the preliminary nature of the study, program effectiveness
with regards to the outcome variables can not be presented at this time.

From preliminary reports of subject and parent satisfaction with the program, the reports indicate great
acceptance. Clinic personnel have also enthusiastically accepted the project, noting that it is readily
implemented within the framework of the clinics and inpatient units.

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Summary and Conclusions

Currently, MAPP is the only multimedia program available to youths with chronic illnesses in the 9-14 age
group that focuses on pregnancy prevention through an abstinence based approach. Another unique feature
of the program is the focus on communication with parents and healthcare providers regarding questions
and concerns about subject’s illness, its effects on their sexual development and future pregnancy and
pregnancy prevention issues. MAPP is unique in its use of an interactive approach to promoting
knowledge, attitude and intention change around sexual abstinence.

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ihe experiences and preliminary results from development and the early implementation of the MAPP
program demonstrate:

1. Importance of involving youth in the planning and advisory process. Youths (aged 9-17) diagnosed
with chronic illness provided valuable information to the scripts, graphics and animations used to
convey the messages for the 3 modules. In order to ensure that language was appropriate to the ages
of the youths, and that messages were conveyed clearly, it was necessary to hold focus groups and to
pilot test the modules with the youths input.

2. Using equipment that is portable and secure in the clinic setting. The laptop computers needed to be
transported from clinic to clinic in order to serve both inpatients and outpatients. Installing
computers in busy clinics, with interruptions to the subjects and the project staff requires that locks
and security devices be placed on the equipment.

3. Designing ways of ensuring confidentiality in data collection and in use of the program within the
clinic setting. Placing only subject ED codes on the computerized program and on all forms helps to
assure the youths that their responses are confidential.

4. Training clinic staff and physicians in the use of the program and how it can benefit provider/patient
relationships. It is anticipated that the communication and questioning about illness, sexual
development and pregnancy from youths will increase as a result of being in this program. Training
clinic personnel in the information and the messages that are transmitted in each of the modules can
help to facilitate communication for both the youths and their health providers.

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References

Carrera MA. Involving adolescent males in pregnancy and STD prevention programs. In SM Coupey & LV
Kleinian (Eds), Adolescent Medicine: Adolescent Sexuality, Preventing Unhealthy Consequences.
Philadelphia, PA: Hanley and Belfus, Inc., 269-281.

Howard M & Mitchell ME. Postponing Sexual Involvement: An Educational Series for Preteens.
Adolescent Reproductive Health Center, Grady Health System. Atlanta: 1996.

Kann L, Warren C A, Harris WA, Collins JL, Williams BI, Ross JG, Kolbe LJ. Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance-United States, 1995. In: CDC Surveillance Summaries, September 27, 1996;45 (No. SS-4)

LaGreca AM, Follansbee D, Skyler JS. Developmental and behavioral aspects of diabetes management in

youngsters. Children’s Health Care, 1990;19:132-139.

Noell J, Ary D, Duncan T. Development and evaluation of a sexual decision-making and social skills
program: "The Choice is Yours-Pre venting HIV/STDs", 1997;24:87-101.

Papemy D, Lehman R, Hammar S. Computer assisted detection and intervention in adolescent high-risk
health behaviors, abstracted. Amer J Dis Child, 1986;140:293.

Papemy DM, Stam JR. Adolescent pregnancy prevention by health education computer games: Computer
assisted instruction of knowledge and attitudes. Pediatrics, 1989; 83(5):742-752.

Papemy DMN, Computerized Health Assessment and Education for Adolescent HIV and STD Prevention
in Health Care Settings and Schools. Health Educ & Behav, 1997;24(l):54-70.

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Postrado LT, Nicholson HJ. Effectiveness in delaying the initiation of sexual intercourse of girls aged
12-14: Two components of the Girls Incorporated Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy Program. Youth and
Society, 1992:23:356-379.

Rubin DH, Leventhal JM, Sadock RT. Educational intervention by computer in childhood asthma: A
randomized clinical trial testing the use of a new teaching intervention in childhood asthma. Pediatrics
1986;77:1-10.

Skinner CS, Siegfried JC, Kegler MC, Strecher VJ: the potential of computers in patient education. Patient
Educ & Counsel, 1993;22:22-34.

Slack WV. Computer-based interviewing system dealing with nonverbal behavior as well as keyboard
responses. Science, 1971;171:84-87.

Turner A, Singleton N, Easterbrook S. Developing sexual health software incorporating user feedback: A
British experience. Health Educ Behav 27:102-120, 1997.

Ilopl

Contacts:

Peggy O’Hara Murdock, PhD

Professor

HPERS

Middle Tennessee State University
PO Box 96

Murfreesboro, TN 37132

Christopher McClure

MAPP Project Coordinator

University of Miami School of Medicine

Department of Epidemiology & Public Health

Onelia G. Lage, MD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
University of Miami School of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics
Division of Adolescent Medicine

Dilip Sarkar, PhD
Associate Professor
University of Miami .

Department of Mathematics & Computer Science

Kimberly Shaw, PhD,

Adjunct Assistant Professor
University of Miami School of Medicine

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/murdock.htm

Ma\P:"A Multimedia Instructional Program for Youths with Chronic Illness

Department of Pediatrics
Division of Adolescent Medicine.

The MAPP program project is funded by the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs, Office of
Population Affairs, DHHS.

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Electronic Conferencing in Education: An Example from Social

Work

Kenneth Lancaster, M.S.W.,Ph.D.

Department of Social Work
Middle Tennessee State University

Jack Stokes, M.S.W.,Ph.D.
Department of Social Work
Southeast Missouri State University

Abstract

Introduction

Computer Technology and Social Work Education
What Is Electronic Conferencing?

Applications

Requirements for Electronic Conferencing

Using Electronic Conferencing for Social Work Education

Measurement

Conclusions

References

Contacts

Abstract:

The use of electronic conferencing in undergraduate social work courses is discussed. Conferencing
increases student participation, encourages more effective relationships among participants, and provides
additional feedback experiences. Faculty determined that selection of any computer application for
courses be guided by specific teaching and learning goals and not by the sense of wonder created by the
technology. When selecting computer technology for the classroom time saving and efficiency are less
significant considerations than the quality of the education experience for the student.

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Introduction

This paper describes the electronic conferencing experiences in undergraduate social work programs at
Southeast Missouri State University and Middle Tennessee State University. The authors do not argue
that our experiences with electronic conferencing would be the same in other settings or academic
disciplines. The effectiveness of any computer application in an educational setting is dependent on a
supportive infrastructure. Student access to computer labs, the time faculty can devote to learning
software, faculty skill in the use of applications, and the level of financial support from the university or
college are several factors that can determine the contribution of any information technology to the
desired learning environment.

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Computer Technology and Social Work Education

The development and use of computer applications in college and university classrooms has expanded at a
rapid rate over the last decade (Trow, 1997). Social work education has been part of this growth of
technological innovation in the classroom (Caputo, 1990). Clearly there must be ongoing discussion about
how the adoption of these new teaching and learning devices will impact student development and
faculty-student relationships. The spread of information technology in higher education is problematic if its
adoption is not linked to specific outcome goals. Technology decisions must not be driven solely by
wonderment over the "bells and whistles" that it offers. The technology based activities developed for the
classroom must clearly support the learning environments we wish to create.

For the social work faculty authoring this paper our choice of computer software applications has been
shaped by the goals of enhancing the learning environment for prospective entry level social workers. In
addition, a practical consideration is that the demand for computer literate, and perhaps fluent, agency
personnel is increasing (Gifford, 1998). Social work education must be especially sensitive to this latter
demand.

The evaluation of student readiness for sensitive social work practice calls for a high degree of
teacher-student interaction. We need to be sure that our students are both emotionally prepared and
practically skilled for the demands of professional practice. The need to enhance student participation in
class activities, build stronger relationships among students and faculty, and create more avenues of
feedback for students should shape the technology that is used in the classroom.

Stimulated and encouraged by the use of e-mail and course web pages, the authors found that electronic
conferencing could further enhance the type of learning environment that we felt was appropriate for
undergraduate social work education. This application is described below, followed by a discussion of its
use in several social work courses.

Ho pi

What is Electronic Conferencing?

Electronic conferencing is a computer-based method for communicating and discussing course-related
issues outside the classroom. Conferencing provides an asynchronous learning experience that will
enhance more traditional activities. Posting to an interactive, computer based "bulletin board" gives
students and faculty opportunities to interact after class has ended.

A variety of activities take place through conferencing. Assignments are posted to the conference board,
questions raised by both instructor and student, and personal communication takes place between
participants. As discussed in more detail below, conferencing encourages greater student participation in
class discussions, expands student-faculty interaction, and provides a mechanism for expanding feedback
for both faculty and student. By encouraging a wider range of dialogue among all the participants in the
learning process, conferencing outside the classroom can construct and enhance what Petraglia (1998)
refers to as an authentic learning environment of ongoing exchange and knowledge building. Just learning
how to use the conferencing board, for example, becomes a collaborative experience that encourages and
enhances other group activities.

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Applications

An electronic conference has a variety of applications:

• The instructor may use a board to disseminate information about assignments and class.

• Lecture is enhanced by an asynchronous board as students post answers to discussion questions.

• As an alternative, discussions on a board or chat session may be used as a substitute for some
traditional class sessions.

• A board and/or chat may be set up for students to collaborate with each other on class projects.

• A board and/or chat may be used for a distance learning course.

• A board provides the opportunity for instructors to more accurately monitor the progress of students.

• A board creates additional opportunities for increased interaction between students and between
students and instructors.

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Requirements for Electronic Conferencing

Several important conditions contribute to the effectiveness of electronic conferencing. Conferencing is not
a time saver but a means for enhancing education. It is more easily managed with smaller classes but it is
productive with larger classes. Administrative expectations often dictate larger enrollments for classes.
Conferencing technology can help to overcome some of the issues of quality that emerge such as limited
student-faculty interaction and the sense of alienation that emerges when students become just faces and
numbers in classes.

Another foundation for effectiveness in conferencing is the commitment of the instructor to being actively
involved in the process. Instructors must participate actively but not to the point that they dominate the
discussion. Faculty must be comfortable with the idea of allowing students greater autonomy in the
educational process. This may mean that faculty will be required to depart from traditional teaching
methods of lecture and test and investigate other strategies that foster learning and growth.

Faculty must also be sensitive to the fact that student skill in computer technology is highly individualized
and varied. Instructors need to be sensitive to the reluctance of some students to use the technology while
recognizing the advanced capability of others. There will be some students who have knowledge and
capability that exceed that of the instructor. Faculty must learn to take advantage of this and not be
defensive. The more knowledgeable students will be able to help those students who are less prepared or
somewhat phobic about the use of any computer technology. Some class time is needed introducing the
conferencing technology. It is common for students to encounter some problems initially, but since
conferencing applications are user friendly, they rather quickly become proficient in its use.

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Using Electronic Conferencing for Social Work Education

The authors of this paper found that electronic conferencing, supported by other educational technologies
such as e-mail, course web pages, and presentation software, can improve student participation, enhance
the quality of relational experiences, and provide effective mechanisms for feedback. Conferencing can be
accessed through a course home page that contains the syllabus and other key links. By placing a link to
conferencing in the course home page, assignments for the board are more fully integrated into the course
content.

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The impact of conferencing on participation, relationship, and feedback is discussed below. These areas are
not, however, separate and distinct processes. They are interrelated and circular experiences that support
one another in a complex way. Student participation, for example, is influenced by positive, timely
feedback to the student's postings to the board. By the same token, effective feedback enhances
faculty-student relationships that will, in turn, lead to more productive student participation. The
interrelated nature of the three activities is illustrated and described below.

Students are excited when their postings on the conference are treated with dignity and seriousness. They
begin to see themselves as participants in a larger teaching and learning process rather than simply passive
recipients of "just the facts". The wide range of interaction offered by conferencing allows a complex
interrelated process of participation, relationship, and feedback to emerge.

Student Participation: An electronic conference provides an additional "voice" for students who find it
difficult to contribute to classroom discussions. Large enrollments often limit participation and dialogue
and many students fear personal humiliation by giving a "wrong answer." In addition, students may feel
intimidated by other students and faculty who dominate discussions. Students are further discouraged in a
traditional setting where communication ends by the clock. The electronic conference is less threatening as
a means for students to share their opinions and ideas more freely. Another important benefit is
conferencing removes the pressure of being "put on the spot" which students often feel in the classroom
setting. They have the opportunity to contemplate and generate questions and responses at a time, and in an
environment, that may be more conducive to creative thinking.

The social work faculty noted that, when using the conference, students who were non-verbal in the
classroom begin to interact more. They were more active in originating questions and posting responses
and their participation in class increased. The following examples illustrate what has been observed as
rather common student experiences in the use of conferencing.

Sakina was struggling to grasp and integrate course information. She seemed closed and afraid to express
her ideas. Her test scores were marginal and her writing lacked depth and substance. She did not participate
in class discussions and seldom interacted with other class members. When asked a question directly, she
became flippant and it was clear that she was self conscious, confused, and embarrassed. During an office
visit with the instructor she said that she had always been afraid of asking a "stupid" question or giving a
"stupid" answer. In addition, she felt intimidated and inferior to her student colleagues who seemed to her
so knowledgeable and capable. Encouraging her to talk more in class failed to change her behavior. In a
subsequent class Sakina was introduced to electronic conferencing. Initially, her postings to the board were
guarded. Her postings lacked confidence and substance. However, after the first week Sakina became one
of the most active participants on the board. The substance of her comments improved considerably, she
posted questions, responded thoughtfully to the postings of others, and most interestingly, began to post
thoughtful daily messages of encouragement. Her classmates responded with complimentary comments and
many also communicated directly with her through personal e-mail messages. Students began to comment
on Sakina's daily messages in class. She began to participate more readily in class discussions and her
personal interaction with her classmates increased significantly. She gained confidence and the quality and
quantity of her overall work improved.

Sarah was a very capable student who tested and wrote well. Sarah, however, would not enter into class
discussion unless questions were put to her directly. It was clear from her written work that she had much
to offer the class through discussion. Although she was encouraged by the instructor to share her ideas with
the class, Sarah just did not seem comfortable enough to spontaneously become involved in the discussion
of issues. The class was a practice course and the first in the department to utilize interactive electronic
conferencing to enhance teaching and learning goals. After she began posting to the conference board it

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became evident to her classmates and the instructor that her grasp of practice principles and social work
values and ethics were very well thought out and integrated. She also articulated them well and connected
them to real life scenarios. Students were able to gain much from Sarah's postings and would often
spontaneously post a request for her perspective on issues related to practice.

Tina was a very articulate and interactive student with a genuine desire for learning. She regularly asked
questions in class and was always ready with an answer but was careful not to dominate the discussion.
Tina was rather skilled in computer technology but had not experienced interactive electronic
conferencing. She was eager to have this new and different opportunity initiated into the teaching and
learning activities of the class. From the first day, Tina became an avid user of the conference. Through her
involvement, she was able to expand her own learning and professional development while inciting the
class and the instructor to greater involvement and integration. She read every student's comments and
posted responses to every question. She raised the overall quality of responses by posting ideas that were
substantive, carefully thought out, and tied to theory and practice. Her posts gave the instructor the
opportunity to respond and pose questions that genuinely enhanced the learning experience for the entire
class. Reflecting on the conference discussion in subsequent class sessions was very productive. In all
likelihood, many of the questions that were generated through conferencing could not have been asked in
class because of time constraints. However, because of the conference and the stimulation of a very
capable and teachable student, learning reached a higher level in this course.

The use of interactive electronic conferencing provided a valuable avenue for expression and participation
for these students. They were empowered by the process. Their confidence and grasp of the social work
knowledge, skills, and value base expanded as their participation increased. All participants found through
this extended interaction, that they could learn much from each other. In addition, reading the postings of
other students promotes creative thinking. Interacting with one another in this manner gives students the
opportunity to evaluate their professional progress in relation to each other. In addition to facilitating
learning, students also have an avenue for increased mutual support and constructive criticism. These
opportunities support the development of meaningful collegial relationships. These interactions occur on a
regular basis simply because the opportunity to communicate with each other is always available.

Improving Relationships: Social work education regards two major outcomes as essential in the
educational process: the student's acquisition and demonstration of the knowledge, skills, and values base
of social work and the student's individual and professional growth and development. A key element in
professional growth is the development of positive and productive emotional and intellectual relationships
with other students and, perhaps as significant, with the instructor. Unquestionably, these relationships can
be developed without the use of educational technology, however, interactive conferencing can facilitate
and enhance the development of appropriate collegial relationships and a mentoring quality in relationships
between faculty and students. Electronic conferencing increases the possibilities of realizing these desired
outcomes because it provides a remarkably productive opportunity for interaction. Using this medium the
instructor can post comments or questions to enhance a variety of teaching and learning objectives. The
e-mail function offers another effective tool for increasing the frequency and the quality of communication.
Instructors can respond quickly and frequently to messages students post to the board. The capability to
generate a timely response makes it possible to seize a teaching moment that may otherwise be lost.

This technology strongly supports individualization of the learning experience. It provides opportunities
for the instructor to directly participate in the socialization and professional growth of the student and it
fosters the development and maintenance of a genuine mentoring relationship. Instructors are able to
transcend the regularly scheduled class time and the somewhat limited office hour. It is a way for faculty to
actively relate our professional and personal concerns for students rather effectively and efficiently. It is the
experience of the authors that most students benefit from this type of faculty-student interaction. Student
comments indicate that the interchange with the instructor and other students makes them feel more

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connected to the class, the instructor, and the learning goals of the course. The following example is
offered:

Pam was a "non-traditional" student— not unlike many others enrolled in the university. She was a single
mother with three children and a full-time job. From the time she awakened in the morning she was
running to meet her demanding schedule. Dropping her children at day care, she drove half an hour to
class, arriving minutes before it began. She tried to be attentive but was often preoccupied and always
appeared tired to the point of exhaustion. When class ended she left immediately to travel thirty minutes to
her job. There was little, if any, interaction with her student colleagues. During the semester it was clear
that Pam was not grasping the course content and her professional growth and development was nil. She
was barely making it through each day. On rare occasions she came to the instructor's office to clarify
assignments and discuss papers and upcoming exams. Questions about her overall well being would trigger
a rush of tears. Words of encouragement and support and occasional phone calls from the instructor
seemed to become lost in the frustration of her life. Pam was overwhelmed and feeling alienated and
incapable. The demands on her time were creating incapacitating stresses and she found it difficult to feel
successful in any area of her life. The semester was nearly an academic disaster for her.

The following semester Pam enrolled in the practice course where interactive electronic conferencing was
being used. In the past Pam had not had time to learn to use a computer. A useful computer was setting at
home and had never been touched. This activity seemed overwhelming. After the orientation session, Pam
experienced some problems accessing the conference board but she did not become discouraged. A brief,
private session with the instructor was all that was required to solve her problems with the technology. The
ability to communicate with Pam via the conference and the e-mail function was a welcome opportunity for
the instructor. Having access to other students and the instructor opened up a new educational dimension
for Pam. She began to interact with her classmates and the instructor from her home in the evening. It was
possible for the instructor to genuinely offer positive critique, encouragement, and direction in response to
her postings to the conference board. Pam often commented that the class experience was the most
satisfying and growth producing experience of her life. Pam's interaction with her student cohort in the
social work program moved to a new and productive level. She was able to develop an open and
productive relationship with students and the instructor and her feelings of alienation were replaced with a
sense of belonging. Her self-esteem and interaction improved considerably, as did the quality of her
academic work.

The instructor's opportunity to develop a responsive mentoring relationship with Pam is characteristic of
what can occur through conferencing and use of the e-mail function for feedback, support, and
encouragement. This activity holds considerable promise for individualizing the student, communicating
regularly and honestly, and demonstrating respect and positive regard.

Opportunities for Feedback: The authors stated earlier in this paper that participation, relationship, and
feedback are closely interrelated and interconnected experiences in the pedogogical process. The common
facilitating element that makes it all work is communication. The conference can be used to increase
communication and provide meaningful feedback in a variety of areas. Instructor activities can include
comments and guidance on questions or answers posted to the conference and personal encouragement
related to scholarship or professional and individual growth.

In one exercise using conferencing the instructor posted several ethical dilemmas involving direct services
for clients and others related to agency and community issues. In responding to the cases students were to
identify relevant passages from the National Association of Social Workers' Code of Ethics, point out
possible multiple responses to the problems, and discuss the comments of other participants. Here feedback
is not just a two way process from instructor to student but has become a multi-layered collection of
feedback loops from student back to the faculty and to other students. This process of statement followed

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by a series of complex responses also stimulates in class discussion. In one exchange three points of view
emerged in conferencing over the issue of client self determination versus the need for social workers to
protect clients when their situation becomes self-destructive. The three points of view were used to
develop three groups in class who developed arguments supporting each view. This process eventually led
to some consensus over the specific case issue. This exercise was more efficient through the use of
con erencing. By taking up only one class period for the three groups to meet instead of having to use what
could have been two or three sessions to present the ethical dilemma, then develop the ideas or conflicting
points of view and then have group meeting to form a consensus. The most important result, however, was
in the students seeing their perspectives and points of view being treated in a serious manner. The class
discussion became more productive. Students felt prepared for the in-class discussion.

Testing via the conference board has excellent potential but has not been fully utilized by the authors.
Generally, questions related to a particular topic are posted to the conference at regular intervals and
responses may be evaluated and scored. This approach supports the teaching and learning goals of learning
from one another and the opportunity to give and receive feedback. If a more independent testing situation
is desired, the instructor may choose to have the responses of students e-mailed directly to his or her
address. Secure testing using a variety of question formats such as multiple choice, true false, and short
answer can be executed by some electronic conference applications. In one course the instructor gave the
students the opportunity to work together in dyads and develop one of the course examinations. The
students chose a question from the material discussed in class and/or the text and posted it to the board.

The student dyads became moderators of their question and were responsible for providing feedback to all
class members regarding their answers. In addition, student moderators graded the answers in consultation
with the instructor. This gave students the opportunity to extend their participation to the teaching/leaming
activity of testing. They were challenged in determining the significance of course material and
participation in the collegial activity of critique.

The authors of this article have also been developing a process of student interaction between our
respective campuses. One group of advanced practice students in the final semester of field experience use
the conference to communicate over assignments and field issues. Students from a class at another
university also have access to the same conference board. Both classes have expressed a great interest in
communicating with one another over student issues and experiences and some contact has occurred.

ITopl

MEASUREMENT

Two methods of measuring the student experience are in process. A survey instrument will be administered
to all students who used electronic conferencing in social work classes. The instrument will assess the
stu ents perceptions of the usefulness of electronic conferencing as a teaching/leaming tool and measure
the extent to which the use of the technology affected participation, relationship building, and feedback.
Data will be gathered over several semesters and analyzed in the Fall of 2000.

The second measure is a video-taped panel of students who have used electronic conferencing They
spontaneously discuss the merits of the technology as a teaching/leaming tool and its affect on
participation, relationship building, and feedback. The video taped is available for viewing. They gave

support to the hypotheses of participation, relationship building, and feedback. Statements from the student
panel included some of the following:

• "I was much more comfortable discussing topics on the conference than in class. I learned a lot from
the opinions of others and comments from the teacher."

0 * 1,11 was nice t0 have some P lace t0 state y° ur opinions. I didn't seem like there was enough time in

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class."

tL^onferenc^bTard. ^ V6ry0ne in the daSS after 1 got some feedback from them about my posting to

"Using the conference made me more comfortable talking about the class topics.”
t was great to have the instructor e-mail personal notes directly to me.”

I didn t participate much in class because I felt I would say something stupid. The conference board
gave me the opportunity to see that many students actually gained something from my comments It

made me want to participate in class after awhile."

The conference made it possible for me to have much more contact and involvement with other
students. My work schedule made it impossible for me to come to school early plus I had to leave
right after class and couldn't talk with classmates. After work I could read comments on the
conference and respond. It really helped me understand the HBSE material. It was a great help to me
as a non-traditional student who had to travel and had to work."

"I liked Professor Stokes’s encouragement that he posted to the conference and the personal
messages he sent by e-mail."

"I really got to know other students in the class better. I felt more comfortable around them and took

special interest in their learning, as well as my own. I guess I decided I had something to offer
others.”

I didn t think I was going to enjoy the conferencing board when Dr. ... first told us about it but I

found it was one of the most enjoyable parts of the class."

IlQEl

CONCLUSIONS

For social work education, evaluation of student readiness for entry level social work practice involves
more than just a measurement of knowledge obtained over a four or five year period. Care must be given to
understanding the student's level of internalization of core practice values and in their potential to handle
the emotional demands of what is a challenging line of work. Evaluation for practice readiness must
include a high degree of interaction among all the participants in the learning environment. Student
participation in class assignment activities is a means of measuring commitment to the work. Active
interaction between students and faculty enhances the student's readiness for the complex set of
relationships they will find in practice.

Electronic conferencing can enhance participation, relationship, and feedback because of its ability to
extend learning and interaction beyond the classroom. It provides an avenue for a continuation of learning
through ongoing interaction with material from the class, extended interaction with classmates outside of
the classroom setting, and the generation of topics and ideas independent of the classroom. Efficiency and
speed can be overemphasized as justifications for the adoption of any computer technology for the
classroom Electronic conferencing, with enhancement of the learning environment to meet specific
e ucational goals, is one tool that can be an effective part of course work in a social work program.

ITo pI

References

£ ^J? 90) Information Technology in Schools of Social Work. Journal of Social Work Education
io/-iyy

Gifford, E. (1998) Social Work on the Internet: An Introduction Social Work 43 (3), 243-251

ERjt

lancaster

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/laiicaster.htm

Petraglia, J.(1998) Reality By Design: The Rhetoric and Technology of Authenticity in Education New
Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

Trow, M. (1997) The Development of Information Technology in American Higher Education Daedalus:
Journal of the American Academy of Art and Science 126 (4), 293-314

Contacts:

Kenneth Lancaster, M.S.W.,Ph.D.

Department of Social Work
Middle Tennessee State University
Klancast@mtsu.edu

Jack Stokes, M.S.W.,Ph.D.

Department of Social Work
Southeast Missouri State University
C310ssw@semovm.semo.edu

nod

http://www.mtsu. edu/~itconfi / proceed99/gray.htm

JavaScript: Convenient Interactivity for the Class Web Page

http://gray.music.rhodes.edu/mtsu99/mtsu99.html

Patricia Gray, Ph.D

Assistant Professor of Music

Rhodes College

Abstract
Introduction
What Is Java Script?
Method
Application
Examples
Conclusion
Web Resources
Suggested Reading
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Contact

Abstract

This presentation will show how JavaScript can be used within HTML pages to add interactive review
sessions and quizzes incorporating graphics and sound files. JavaScript has the advantage of providing
basic interactive functions without the use of separate software applications and players. Because it can
be part of a standard HTML page, it is cross-platform as well. Templates will be provided to participants
to enable them to customize their own pages without having to leam JavaScript in any detail.

flQPl

Introduction

Interactive exercises are a valuable addition to class web pages. They allow students to review material
and to get immediate feedback as they answer questions. A wide variety of software products allow
teachers to customize quizzes and exercises for their students. Frequently these are platform specific or
they require applications or players to be loaded on to the machine. By contrast, JavaScript can be placed
directly into HTML text files and thus can provide an easy and economical alternative to the use of
separate applications.

[Top]

What is Javascript?

JavaScript should not be confused with Java. Java is a compiled programming language, similar to C. It
has the ability to write major applications and insert them in a web page as a special object called an
"applet." Java is also unique in its ability to run the same program on IBM, Mac, and Unix computers.
Java is not considered an easy-to-use language for non-programmers. JavaScript, on the other hand, is a
scripting language that can be used by average Web designers. It is particularly attractive to
non-programmers because it requires no separate applications or compilers. It is simply scripted text that
is incorporated into a HTML page to add enhanced interaction with the user. For this reason, it is
attractive to educators who would like to take a step beyond putting class materials on the Web.
JavaScript can provide a variety of opportunities interaction with students.

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? add enhanced interaction with the user. For this reason, it is attractive to educators who
would like to take a step beyond putting class materials on the Web. JavaScript can provide a variety of
opportunities interaction with students. ^

iiopi

Method

Itwou |d be misleading to say that JavaScript is as easy to learn as basic HTML. However, as with learning
*"? ™,, best t0 8 e ‘ slarted is 10 stud y «* code for existing projects on the Web and adapt it. To see
“ ° f he COde “ ,s 0nly " ecessary 10 View Page Source code, save it as a text file, customize it, and
'““hi w t 1: ! " the Web Resources section below are a number of JavaScript resource sites available
on the Web. The list contains archives of scripts as well as tutorials for those interested in learning to

SSriy hd^ Pt The “ 0rial ^ ,aVaScript f0r the N on-Programmer published by Webteacher.com is

When adapting scripts it is important to be aware of copyright issues. Frequently, the text of the code
inc udes instructions to keep the copyright notice in the code even after making changes. This notice may
be commented out so it is only visible in the source code, not on the actual web page. Requests to
include code should be scrupulously observed. F s 4

Hop]

Application

JavaScript is particularly helpful in creating objective interactive reviews for courses that require the
memorization of terms, translations, and other types of short answers. These quizzes can be used as part of
class home pages that provide a wide variety instructional information. Cuirently at Rhodes, they are used
only for review and not for on-the-record grades. Small class size minimizes the need for a distance
learning approach to testing. However, online reviews that are available in the labs and wired dormitories
are valuable in that they adapt to students’ variable study schedules.

Student reaction to online reviews in Rhodes music courses has been overwhelmingly positive. Student
valuations credit the exercises with "actively engaging" them with the material. Some of the exercises
were created by the students themselves who were intrigued by the idea of producing study materials that
will be avai able on the Web long after the class is finished. Students seem to be mofe critical of materials
hey create for distribution over the Web than they are for work that is only seen by the professor

JavaScript quizzes can be created as a collaborative effort between students and professor. They also have
the advantage of being very easy to edit and update. *

The following Rhodes College music course sites use JavaScript in a variety of ways:

Music 227-228: European Musical Heritage
http://gray.music.rhodes.edu/musichtmls/mh himl

Music 121: History of Opera (The Butterfly Project)
htt p : //gray.music.rhodes.edu/musichtmls/hfprnj hrml

Music 116: Music and Society
hLtp://gray.music.rhodes.edu/musichtmls/mnsicl 16.html

A™™/ 1 advanta ? e °f JavaScript is the ability to save the code as a plain text file, store it on a
CD-ROM and view it with any browser. This allows students to have portable review files that can be

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viewed locally without a live connection to the Internet. CD-ROMs of this type can now be produced
easily and economically and can be sold along with the traditional text book.

IlQEl

Examples

The following are examples of simple scripts that provide difference functions for objective online tests.
Following the link to the test will demonstrate how its format. The abbreviated script in the appendix cuts
away all be the essential code. The only sections that need to be customizes are indicated in red bold type.

True-False with Hints Given After Incorrect Answers
http://gray.music.rhodes.edu/MTSU99/tfquiz.html
Abbreviated Script— See Appendix A

Multiple Choice with Immediate Response to Each Question
http://gray.music.rhodes.edu/MTSU99/heroine.html
Abbreviated Script— See Appendix B

Multiple Choice with Correct and Incorrect Answers Given after Submission
http://gray.music.rhodes.edu/MTSU99/

Abbreviated Script— See Appendix C

Multiple Choice with Penalty for Incorrect Answers
http://gray.music.rhodes.edu/MTSU99/proktest.html

[Script is too long to include in appendix. Download from source code at the URL on the preceding line.]

IlQEl

Conclusion

JavaScript provides a streamlined, efficient, and economical way of providing interaction to web pages.
Currently, adapting pre-existing code is best way for educators to begin to take advantage of it. This must
be done in plain text documents because the most popular entry level web page editors do not support it.
However, more professional products, such as Adobe's GoLive 4.0 . now provide some JavaScript editing
capabilities and point the way to easier use in the future.

Hop I

Web Resources

Tutorials:

Javascript for the Non-Programmer: http://www.webteacher.com/javatour/

Thau's JavaScript Tutorial: http://www.hotwired.com/webmonkev/iavascript/tutorials/tutorial1 html
Developer.com Tutorial: http://www.developer.com/classroom/tutorials/cl iavascript.html

Script Archives:

The JavaScript Source: http://javascript.intemet.com/

JavaScript.com: http://www.javascripts.com

The Last Wave JavaScript Source: http://www.thelastdomain.com/alan/thelastwaved.html
Java Goodies: A Repository of Scripts: http://www.iavagoodies.com

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Cut and Paste JavaScripts: http://www.info hiwav.com/iavascript/indexf.htm
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Suggested Reading

Flanagan, David. JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd ed. O'Reilly and Associates, 1998
ISBN: 1565923928

± rentzen, Jeff, Henry Sobotka, and Dewayne McNair. Javascript Annotated Archives
Osborne McGraw-Hill, 1998. ISBN: 0078823641

Goodman, Danny. JavaScript Bible, 3rd ed. EDG Books Worldwide, March 1998. ISBN: 0764531883

Heinle, Nick. Designing With JavaScript : Creating Dynamic Web Pages (Web Review Studio Series)
O'Reilly and Associates, 1997. ISBN: 1565923006

Lund, William B. and Brian Holman. Instant JavaScript. Prentice-Hall, 1996. ISBN: 0132684349

Negrino, Tom and Dori Smith. JavaScript for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickStart Guide 2nd ed
Peachpit Press. ISBN: 0201696487

Neou, Vivian and Curt Aubley. HTML 4.0 CD with Javascript . Prentice Hall, 1999. ISBN: 0130957836

Purcell, Lee, and Mary Jane Mara (Contributor). The ABCs of Javascript. Sybex, January 1997
ISBN: 0782119379

IlQBl

Appendix A

Instructions for Use of Appendices

Copy and paste the code into a plain text document such as one created by SimpleText or NotePad. Do not

copy the text into an HTML editor unless you are sure that it supports JavaScript. Only the sections
in red bold type should be customized.

<HTML>

<HEAD>

<TITLE>Opera Quiz</TITLE>

<!— hide from old browsers
function userAlert()

{

alert(" Very good!");

function userAlert2()

{

alert("No, but a Pushkin poem was used for Boris Godunov."V

function userAlert3()

{

alert("It was a bass. Feodor Chaliapin was a famous Boris.");

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4 I

* <!-- done hiding — >

</SCREPT>

</HEAD>

<H3 ALIGN=CENTER>Opera Quiz</H3>

<B>1. The title role in Moussorgsky’s <I>Boris Godunov</I> is sung by a bass. </B>
<FORM> <INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE=" True " onClick="userAlert()">

<P>

<B>2. Glinka’s <I>A Life for the Tsar</T> was based on poem by Pushkin.</B>
<FORM><INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE=" True " onClick="userAlert2()" >

<INPUT TYPE= ,, button" VALUE-' False ” onClick= ,, userAlertO'*^<’/FORM></P>
</BODY> v

</HTML>

I HqeI

Appendix B

<html>

<head>

<title>Puccini Heroine Quiz</title>

<!-- hide

/* GameQuiz v 1.0 by Monichar.

Permission to use, edit, etc. granted as long as the head section is intact* )

var ans = new Array;
var done = new Array;
var text = new Array;
var score = 0;
ans[l]= ”d”;
ans[2] = ”c”;

textfl] = "Puccini’s operas usually revolve around the heroine.";

text[2] = "No, it was Musetta.";

function Engine(question, answer) {

if (answer != ansfquestion]) {

if (!done[question]) {

donefquestion] = -1;

alert(" Wrong !\n\n Your score is now: " + score + "\n\n" +text[question]);
else {

alert("You have already answered that!");

}

else {

if (!done[question]) {
donefquestion] = -1;
score++;

al ert( "Correct !\n\n Your score is now: " + score);
else {

alert("You have already answered that!");

}

//->

</script>

http://www.mtsu.edu/-Uconfypnxeed99/gray.htm

<centerxH2>Puccini Heroine Quiz</H2x/center>

This script will automatically check your answers for you.<p>

<b>JavaScript required !</bxp>

<form>

<b>l. The action in most of Puccini's operas seems to pivot around:</bxp>

<input type=radio value="a" onClick="Engine(l, this.value)">the enemy<br>

<input type=radio value="c" onClick="Engine(l, this.value)">the chorus<br>

<input type=radio value="d" onClick="Engine(l, this.value)">the heroine<p>

<b>2. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians describes the Puccini Heroine as "frail creatures who
live and die for love". This is true of all of the following except:</bxp>

<input type=radio value="b" onClick=”Engine(2, this.value)">Manon Lescaut<br>

<input type=radio value=”c" onClick="Engine(2, this.value)">Musetta<br>

</form>

<H4>Reload the page to take the test again.</H4>

</BODY>

</HTML>

UqeI

Appendix C

<html>

<title>Prokofiev Test</title>

//function to display the answers
function display_answers(){

if (document.quiz.answerl[0].checked = true) document. quiz.al. valuer" A”;
if (document.quiz.answerl[l].checked — true) document. quiz.al.value= ,r B”;
if (document.quiz.answerl[2].checked == true) document.quiz.al.value=” C";
if (document.quiz.answerl [3]. checked == true) document.quiz.al.value=" D”;
if (document.quiz.answer2[0]. checked = true) document.quiz.a2.value=" A";
if (document.quiz.answer2[l].checked = true) document.quiz.a2.value= ,, B";
if (document.quiz.answer2[2].checked = true) document.quiz.a2.value=” C”;
if (document.quiz.answer2[3]. checked = true) document.quiz.a2.value=" D";

}

//function total the quiz answers
// assigns correct answers in array,
function total() {
var tot = 0;

//answer#[0-3] 0=A, l=B t 2=C, 3=D

if (document.quiz.answerl [0]. checked = true) tot = 1;

document-quiz^l-value^'A”;

if (document.quiz.answer2[3]. checked = true) tot += 1;
document.quiz.q2.value=”D";

if (tot=2) document.quiz.totalscore.value ="2 out of 2, Very Good!";

else document.quiz.totalscore.value = "You answered ” + tot + " out of 2 correctly.";

</script><br>

<CENTER><h3>Prokofiev Test</h3></CENTER>

cable border="0 n cellpadding="7" width="600' , xtr>

<B>1. Prokofiev received his early conservatory training in:</Bxbr>

http://www.in tsu.edu/~'itcon^proceed99/gray.htm

A cinput type="radio" name= ,, answerl u >St Petersburg<br>

B <input type= ,, radio" name= ,, answerl ,, >Moscow<br>

C cinput type= H radio M name= ,, answerl ,, >Stalingrad<br>

D cinput type= ,, radio" name= ,, answerl ,, >Novgorodc/td>
ctd valign="top u width="300">

<B>2. All of the following are characteristic of Prokofiev’s early piano music except: c/B>cbr>

A cinput type= ,, radio" name= ,, answer2">striking use of dissonancecbr>

B cinput type-^'radio" name= ,, answer2 ,, >machine like rhythmic passagescbr>

C cinput type= ,, radio" name= ,, answer2 ,, >strong sense of percussioncbr>

D cinput type="radio" name= ,, answer2 ,, >Ieft hand lines modeled after those of Chopinc/td>

c/tr>

ctr>

c/tr>c/table>
ctable border= ,, 0">ctr>

ctd width= n 300 n >cinput type= ,, button ,t value= ,, Submit ,, onclick^’totalQ; display_answers(); M > cinput type= ,, reset l
value="Reset">c/td>

ctd width= ,, 400">cinput type="text" size= ,, 50 ,, name= ,, totalscore ,, >cbr>c/td>

c/tr>c/table>

cP>

cCENTER>ctable border= ,, 0">ctr>

ctd valign= H top" width= ,, 125">cb>Your Answersc/b>cbr>

Q 1: cinput type="text" size="2" name= ,, al ,, >cbr>

Q2: cinput type= ,, text" size="2" name= ,, a2">cbr>
c/td>

ctd valign= ,, top" width= ,, 125">cb>Correct Answersc/b>cbr>

Q 1: cinput type="text" size="2" name="qr , >cbr>

Q 2: cinput type^'text" size= u 2" name= l, q2 ,, >cbr>
c/td>

c/tr>c/table>c/CENTER>

c/body>

c/html>

Contact:

Patricia Gray, Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Music
Rhodes College
Memphis, TN
gray® rhodes.edu

mad

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/Creery.htm

Using a Word Processor to Put Math Symbols on the Home Page

Using a Word Processor to
Put Math Symbols on the Home Page

Katherine Creery
Instructor

The University of Memphis

Abstract

Introduction

Pre-Planning

Saving Documents Using HTML
Creating a New Document
Conclusion
Contact

Abstract:

This presentation demonstrates the use of Word 97 and WordPerfect 8 to get mathematics symbols onto
the web. Participants will learn to use the Equation Editor and web pages to make, or take existing
documents and save them as HTML files. They will also learn how to draw graphics and add them to
their web pages. Lastly, they will learn a simple way to organize them on their server.

Using a Word Process to Put Math Symbols on the Home Page

Introduction:

Putting math symbols onto a home page does not require the purchase of a special mathematical or
graphics program. It can be done using word processors such as, Microsoft Word or Corel Word Perfect.
The documents can be created in any version that has an equation editor, but must be changed into an
html file using a later version that has this capability. This means that material already created can be
converted to an html and placed on a homepage. There is no need to retype your work into a special
program. Any new material can be created as a web page and easily saved as an html file. If you do it
this way, you will not be able to make it back into a regular word page and have the image files shown
on the screen. Therefore, if this is something that you would like to have as both a word document and
an html document, start the document as a regular word document, and then change it to the Web
document.

The trick that is not clearly given in the directions of these word processor programs, is that when your
program is saved as an html, one image file for each equation will be saved at the same time. If you are
saving to a file folder that includes other things, the image files will be hard to find. In the word
processors, the image files are numbered by the computer, and you have no control over the numbers.
Therefore they can get lost in a maze of other image files in your folder.

Hop]

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Pre-Planning :

The solution is simple, but does require a little pre-planning. Make a file folder for each document you
will be putting onto the home page. Save your document as an html to this file folder. Then you will

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Using a Word Processor to Put Math Symbols on the Home Page

have captured all of the image files that go with that document. The pre-planning comes in deciding how
you want to name the documents for your home page. If you are going to have test reviews and solutions
to the tests both on your home page and this will be for different courses, you will need to make a lot of
different file folders on your hard drive or floppy disks. You will also have to have names for other
documents like handouts, syllabi, quizzes, etc. Here is an example so you can see some possibilities:

Name of item Abbreviated name

Elementary Alg ebra test 1 review ealglrev or 08201 rev
Elementary Alg ebra test 2 review ealg2rev or 08202rev
Elementary Algebra test 1 solutions ealglsol or 08201 sol
Elementary Alg ebra test 2 solutions ealg2sol or 08202sol
Elementary Alg ebra factoring worksheet ealgfac or 0820fac
Elementary Alg ebra syllabus ealgsyl or 0820syl
Intermediate Alg ebra test ! review ialglrev or 082 1 rev
Intermediate Alg ebra test 2 solutions ialg2sol or 08212sol
Intermediate Alg ebra syn thetic division ialgsyndiv or 0821 syndiv
Intermediate Alg ebra syllabus ialgsyl or 082 1 syl

Keep your abbreviated names short and easy for you to understand. When appropriate, course numbers
may be easier to use. The new word processing programs now allow you to use more than the old 8
character name, but when you move this to your home page you will find that the shorter the better.

[To pi

Saving Documents as HTML:

Once you have made all of the file folders on your hard or floppy drive, you are ready to start saving
your existing documents as html. Be sure that your version of the program is capable of doing this, or
find someone with a computer that can. If you plan to use someone else’s computer, you will need to
make the file folders on your floppy disks.

Follow the steps below for Microsoft Office:

1 . Go to the word "File" on the upper left-hand comer of your screen, select new, and then select web
pages and click OK.

2. Next open your existing document (It will come up on a different window). Block it and copy it
onto the clipboard.

3. Go to "Window", click and select the unnamed document.

4. Go to the paste icon and click. Your document should now be on your web page screen.

5. Go to "File" and select "Save as HTML", then select the file folder you named for this document.

6. Give your document the same name as the file folder and click save.

ERIC

For Corel Word Perfect the steps are similar. You will find what you need under "File" on the upper

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Using a'Word Processor to Put Math Symbols on the Home Page

left hand comer of your screen, then under "Internet publisher", and then select "Format as web
document". To save you go to "File" then "Internet publisher" and then "Publish to html — > save a copy
of the current document as html format".

In your file folder, you should have the document you just saved, and an image file for each time you
used the equation editor in that document. Repeat these steps for each existing document that you want
on your home page.

[Top i

Creating a New Document:

To create a new document to put on your home page, follow the steps below for Microsoft Office:

1. Go to the word "File" on the upper left-hand comer of your screen, select new, and then select web
pages and click OK.

2. Now type your page as you would do in your word processor.

3. Go to "File" and select "Save as HTML", then select the file folder you named for this document.

4. Give your document the same name as the file folder and click save.

For Corel Word Perfect the steps are similar. You will find what you need under "File" on the upper
left hand comer of your screen, then under "Internet publisher", and then select "New web document".

To save you go to "File" then "Internet publisher" and then "Publish to html — > save a copy of the
current document as html format".

Again in your file folder, you should have the document you just saved, and an image file for each time
you used the equation editor in that document.

[Topi

Conclusion:

Before you put your documents onto the server, you will again need to make separate file folders on
your server for each document, to keep the image files with the document file. These should have the
same names as you have already used. Each server is different, and there are different programs to put
the documents onto the server, therefore if you are not familiar with the process, you will have to use
your manuals/help to determine how to do this. From this point on, you will treat this document as you
would any other in organizing your home page. When you create your link, you will only link to the
document name and can disregard the image files. Your document file will contain the information to
also link the image files for you.

When your document gets onto your homepage, it may not look exactly as it was on the printed page. If
you would like to change the way it looks you can edit them in your homepage. Netscape Communicator
Professional Edition (This is free to educators and can be downloaded from the Netscape Icon on the
Netscape screen) for this purpose. It generally works like any word processor. However, you will not be
able to edit equations this way (Make sure the equations are correct before you put them on your
server.), but you will be able to move their location on the screen.

If you would like to include graphs or other drawings on you page you can. Use your paint program,
draw what you need and save it. In Microsoft Office 97 there is a program called Microsoft Photo
Editor. You will need to start this program, open the drawing from the paint program and save it as a
JPEG file. This can now be placed in your document while on the Web page document. It will be saved
in your folder when you save the program.

Contact:

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http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/Creery.htm

Using a' Word Processor to Put Math Symbols on the Home Page

* \ >

Katherine W. Creery

The University of Memphis

Memphis, TN 38125

E-mail: kwcreery@memphis.edu

Homepage: www.people.memphis.edu/~kwcreery

Phone: (901) 755-1143

IT op -1

This information is free for your personal use

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Assessing

the Impact of Technology. ..and Learning: Student Perspectives

Assessing the Impact of Technology on Teaching and Learning:

Student Perspectives

Barbara Draude and Sylvia Brace

Middle Tennessee State University

Introduction

Method

Survey Results and Major Findings

Conclusion

Contact

The use of instructional technology in higher education has increased substantially over the past several
years. "Computer technology provides students and teachers with unprecedented opportunities to
transform the teaching and learning process, from the most common and simple uses to the most
sophisticated." (Sulla, 1999) Educators are readily embracing the challenges of integrating that
technology into their teaching. However, authors and educators still question whether its use positively
impacts the learning process. Research is beginning to focus more on the evaluation of the use of
technology, but results remain inconclusive. (Sulla, 1999) This study on the effectiveness of
instructional technology at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) from the student's perspective
adds to this area of research. Results from the study provide valuable information that helps to determine
measures for improving technology resources for MTSU faculty and students.

MTSU is a regional university that services approximately 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Through five colleges and thirty-five departments and schools, MTSU offers instruction toward degrees
in the basic and applied sciences, business, education, liberal arts, and mass communication. Efforts
have been made over the last several years to provide educators and students with the resources
necessary for the integration of technology. From early computer laboratories utilized by a small
percentage of faculty and students to the recent opening of a new academic building equipped with
forty-seven technology-based classrooms and an approximately 200-station computer laboratory, the
administration has demonstrated its commitment to instructional technology as an integral component of
the higher education experience. MTSU offers a campus-wide network, approximately 70
technology-equipped classrooms, and over sixty computer labs for technology-enhanced learning
activities.

A 1998 study of MTSU faculty assessed the impact of technology on teaching and learning. The study
evaluated the effectiveness of instructional technology by measuring its impact on the depth and breadth
of content covered, student performance, and good teaching practices that were widely acknowledged as
catalysts for improved learning. Results showed that the overwhelming majority of MTSU faculty
believe that instructional technology is essential and is being widely used across campus with different
technologies accommodating different teaching practices. This study of MTSU students extends the
1998 study by measuring student perceptions about instructional technology and the impact that it has on
learning,
iiop]

METHOD

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Assessing the Impact of Technology on Teaching and Learning: Student Perspectives

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METHOD

A four-part questionnaire was used to collect data in the study. Approximately 1900 questionnaires were
sent to faculty teaching in master classrooms (technology-equipped classrooms) across campus. Faculty
were asked to distribute the questionnaires to students. The questionnaire was pilot tested by a group of
students and deemed a viable test instrument taking an average of ten to fifteen minutes to complete. Eight
percent of all undergraduate students completed and returned the questionnaire.

The questionnaire begins with a statement providing the purpose of the study and statements assuring
anonymity and confidentiality. Questions give students an opportunity to express some general feelings and
beliefs regarding learning styles and instructional technology at MTSU. The first section summarizes the
wide variety of instructional technology applications and resources available at MTSU and encourages
students to respond based on their general impression or feeling. In this section, students rate how much
they agree with a variety of statements that measure their perceptions about various types of instructional
technologies and their value in the classroom. Other questions ask students to rate their levels of skills
using various types of technologies.

The second part of the survey measures the frequency of use of various instructional technology
applications by MTSU students and instructors. These applications include computer applications to
present lecture outlines or demonstrate specific concepts; using audio/visual equipment to display
materials; communicating electronically with instructors and other students; and supplementary use or
development of materials such as web pages, computer-assisted instruction modules, and computer-based
applications. In this section, students evaluate the effect of these applications on the depth and breadth of
content covered, student performance, and good teaching practices including interaction with students,
student collaboration, student participation and feedback, and expectations of student performance.

The third segment of the questionnaire gathers information about the projected future use of instructional
technology by MTSU students. Students rate the likelihood of a series of statements that regard their
anticipated use/interaction with various types of instructional technologies within the remaining courses at
MTSU.

The final portion of the questionnaire gathers basic demographic information such as academic standing,
department, and discipline. An open-ended statement allows students to discuss why they feel instructional
technology is or is not important. Students are provided with the opportunity to make additional comments.
hqei

SURVEY RESULTS AND MAJOR FINDINGS

The survey results lead to several major findings. These findings give MTSU faculty and administrators a
better understanding of the impact that technology can have in the teaching and learning process as well as
assist with future planning.

1. The Use of Instructional Technology Positively Affects Student Learning

Ninety-five percent of responding students agree with the statement, "I believe that the use of
technology in the classroom can enhance student learning." The study results show a strong
correlation between the number of courses students had in a master classroom (a
technology-enhanced classroom) and the positive effects of instructional technology on their
learning. Students recognize better organization of course materials as one by-product of the use of
technology in the classroom. They write that it makes class notes more legible, accurate, and

Assessing, the Impact of Technology on Teaching and Learning: Student Perspectives

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/brace.html

accessible. Comments include: ' Organization is better. Note taking is easier. You can listen to the
instructor more while taking notes." "Instructional technology helps organize presentations and notes
while widening discussion outside the lecture."

Students also acknowledge instructional technology's appeal to different learning styles. Reasons
vary from ones such as "it helps students visualize things that can't be drawn on a chalkboard" and "
it better illustrates concepts" to others such as these:

It facilitates teaching to students of all learning styles and makes it easier for instructors to
supplement teaching with enrichment and extra activities."

"It provides a visual learning source that can help you remember lecture materials."

2. The Use of Instructional Technology Increases Student Interest and Satisfaction

Some students find that instructional technology when used effectively can make learning more
stimulating, interesting, or just plain fun. Students write that increased interactivity, added visual
components, and variety in instructional delivery methods help to increase their satisfaction. Their
comments include:

"It allows diversity in teaching techniques and keeps material interesting."

"It gets students more involved and interested in learning as it provides them with a more visual way
to learn."

3. The Role of Faculty and Their Ability to Use Instructional Technology are Major Factors

While the responding students predominantly agree that technology provides valuable teaching tools,
they often comment that "it is no substitute for a good teacher or for instruction." Numerous students
note the impact that the use of technology can have on faculty/student interaction. Students write:

"Technology can be a powerful tool but classroom success still depends on the quality of
student/teacher interaction."

"The use of email as a communication tool is essential. It is another way to initiate student/instructor
interaction."

The majority of the responding students feel they have the skills and knowledge to effectively use
technology. The ability of faculty to use technology as an effective teaching tool is an issue for some
students. Students express concerns about faculty who lack the proper skills to use the technology
and faculty who misuse the technology. Comments from them include:

"Some teachers use technology very effectively and others do not. Its effectiveness depends on the
teacher's ability to use the technology."

"Technology can be negative when a teacher loses creativity and energy just because he or she has
become dependent on PowerPoint or videos."

"I feel that instructional technology’s impact on learning depends on how well the teacher uses it.

4. Certain Instructional Technology Techniques Better Facilitate Certain Learning Activities

Assessing the Impact of Technology on Teaching and Learning: Student Perspectives

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The primary purpose of this study was to see what role, if any, technology plays in facilitating
learning. Survey results indicate that technology does indeed- have an important role in improving
conditions for good learning in MTSU classrooms. Students find that certain technologies better
promote certain learning activities.

Ninety-five percent of the respondents indicate that the organization of content covered is best
facilitated by the instructor s use of computer applications to present lecture outlines and to
demonstrate specific concepts. Most of the respondents recognize the instructor's use of computer
applications as well as his or her use of audio/visual technology as having a positive effect on their

understanding of the course materials. One student writes:

Technology helps present information better. For example, we watch videos about ads that we
would otherwise just have to imagine."

The majority of the responding students identify electronic mail as the technology that best facilitates
their interaction with the instructor, collaboration with other students, and feedback from the
instructor. However, only fifty-percent of them have communicated electronically with an instructor
or classmates about class projects. A student comments:

The use of email as a communication tool is essential. It is another way to initiate student/instructor
interaction that is beneficial."

Eighty-five percent of the respondents select the instructor's use of computer applications to
demonstrate specific concepts and use of audio/visual equipment as the technology techniques that
most positively increased satisfaction with course outcome.

5. Instructional Technology is an Integral Part of Today's Learning Environment

Many of the responding students concede that technology is here to stay and that they must be able
to use it effectively as they enter the real world. They acknowledge the role of instructional
technology in helping prepare them for the future with comments such as: "Technology is
everywhere. Its use in the classroom makes me feel good about my education and also teaches me

things I will need to know when I enter the workforce."

"It is undeniably the future. To ignore it would be disastrous to anyone's career. Learning
interactively now prepares us for our future." °

ITopl

CONCLUSION

The results of this study concur with results from the earlier faculty study. Faculty demonstrate their
acceptance and adoption of instructional technology as a "good teaching" practice, while students agree
that it significantly enhances their learning. As one student summarizes: °

Instructional technology, not only enhances learning through organization and clarity, but adds to the
professionalism and atmosphere of the university, which helps motivate students to learn and participate."

CONTACT

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Assessing the Impact of Technology on Teaching and Learning: Student Perspectives

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/brace.html

Barbara Draude, RN, MSN, CCRN
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Middle Tennessee State University
Box 8 1/6 1 5-898-24 17 /bdraude@mtsn.edn

Sylvia Brace, MBA, EdS
Manager of Instructional Technology
Middle Tennessee State University
Box 226/ 615-898-2140/ sbrace@mtsu.edu

hqei

ERIC

Classroom Assessment Techniques Designed for Technology

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/Martin.htm

Classroom Assessment Techniques Designed for Technology

Mary Barone Martin
Middle Tennessee State University

Abstract

Introduction

The Muddiest Point

Empty Outlines

Minute Paper

Double Entry Journals

Course-Related Self-Confidence Surveys

"To Use or Not to Use" Analysis

Procedure Brochures

Keystroke Reports

Technology Maps

Technology Chain

Pen Pals

Benefits Analysis

References

Contact

Abstract:

Angelo and Cross have developed strategies for assessing teaching effectiveness at the college level. As
they have stated: "College instructors who have assumed that their students were learning what they
were trying to teach them are regularly faced with disappointing evidence to the contrary when they
grade tests and term papers." Angelo and Cross have developed some written "instant" feedback
techniques which they call classroom assessment techniques. Generally using ungraded activities, the
goal is to measure the "current state" of the classroom. We will examine a series of assessment
techniques which are most useable in the technological classroom.

Classroom Assessment Techniques Designed for Technology
Introduction:

Thomas A. Angelo and K. Patricia Cross have developed strategies for assessing classroom teaching
effectiveness at the college level. As they have stated: "College instructors who have assumed that their
students were learning what they were trying to teach them are regularly faced with disappointing
evidence to the contrary when they grade tests and term papers." [1, p. 3] In order to address this issue,
Angelo and Cross have developed some written "instant" feedback techniques which they call classroom
assessment techniques. The assessments are generally ungraded activities which focus on current course
work. The goal is neither research in pedagogy nor evaluation of individual students. Rather, the goal is
to measure the "current state" of the classroom. The goal of their work is to present assessment
techniques which are brief, yet effective, and can be used quickly in the classroom. In order to
understand the characteristics of these activities, let us first examine a "case study" of one of the most

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techniques. The assessments are generally ungraded activities which focus on current course work. The
goal is neither research in pedagogy nor evaluation of individual students. Rather, the goal is to measure
the "current state" of the classroom. The goal of their work is to present assessment techniques which are
brief, yet effective, and can be used quickly in the classroom. In order to understand the characteristics of
these activities, let us first examine a "case study" of one of the most powerful of the classroom assessment
techniques presented in Angelo’s and Cross’s book. After the case study, we will proceed to examine a
variety of assessment activities within the context of teaching with technology.

"The Muddiest Point" is an assessment technique which was originally developed by F. Mosteller at
Harvard while teaching an undergraduate statistics course. [3] The basic strategy is to ask students to
quickly jot down on a piece of paper the single "muddiest point" from the day’s lecture. The students
submit the notes to the instructor, usually anonymously, at the end of the lecture. The instructor reports
back to the students at the beginning of the next lecture by a) responding to the most mentioned one or two
points, and b) briefly addressing as many others as possible and reminding students of additional sources of
information. In a mathematics class, this is usually done by starting the next class with a well-chosen
example problem, emphasizing the responses to the "muddiest point" notes while working it. Generally,
there are no grades associated with this activity. The truly amazing aspect for this classroom assessment is
that most often there are no more than two or three issues raised during this assessment.

The muddiest point incorporates some of the most useful aspects of classroom assessment techniques. The
greatest value of classroom assessment techniques comes from the combination of providing effective
evaluation of on-going learning for the instructor and at the same time allowing the almost instant feedback
from the assessment. Additionally, effective assessment techniques possess the following characteristics:

• Improve instructor’s understanding of student needs and their perceptions of current material

• Are immediately useable

• Do not take up much class time

• Are easy to administer

• Are easy to analyze

• Do not take inordinate time to analyze

• Are flexible and can be useful for a variety of topics

Typically, classroom assessments represent time saved in class since the instructor presents one or two
examples and then can continue on with new material; sometimes, the questions can even be answered in
the context of motivating the new material. From the students’ perspective, an immediate response to
confusing questions allows a quick correction and students soon leam to take the process seriously. The
whole process increases the trust between instructor and student; the instructor demonstrates concern for
the student’s learning when implementing the technique and simultaneously receives information about the
students’ on-going attention to the course.

There are a wide variety of assessments presented in Angelo and Cross. [1, p. xiv] Each of them have a
different "best use", a different learning purpose, and can be used by instructors in different manners.
Longer techniques can be performed outside of class and may or may not include instructor grading. In
each case, the major purposes for the techniques include assessment of:

• Content comprehension

• Analytic thinking

• Student learning skills/processes

• Students’ attitudes toward class activities

^ The assessments chosen should be determined by the specific content/leaming to be measured and the

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purposes of the instructor. In general, it is not a good idea to use too many different techniques in one
semester. Student responses are more useful when the students are comfortable with a particular technique
and understand it.

Before addressing technological issues specifically, a few general comments about classroom assessment
can be made. It is important to remember that the term "classroom assessment" refers to assessment of
learning rather than grade assessment or educational research study. The goals are strictly to enhance "the
continuous monitoring of students’ learning". [l,p. xiv] These techniques can be so simple that one often
asks, "Can this really be useful?" or comments "But I already do this in a different setting." The results are
still very revealing. "Completing the loop", that is getting the feedback to the student, is critical to
maintaining the integrity of the process - students quit responding if there are no results. Finally, the
assessment activities can be assigned in such a manner as to allow them to be graded; however, the most
valuable are often the ungraded activities.

When we speak of using technology in the classroom, we are speaking in the broadest sense: everything
from calculators, computers and software to distance learning technologies. Although the argument can be
made that most instruction involves the same pedagogical issues whether or not technology is involved in
the instruction process, it is valuable to note that the dynamics of the teaching process can change with the
introduction of technology. The two places where technological issues arise are in assessing whether the
technology is providing an effective medium for the transfer of knowledge and whether the details of the
use of the particular technology are being mastered. These two issues are at the heart of teaching with
technology. Classroom assessment can provide effective analysis of each of these issues. To address the
modification of existing classroom techniques, we will describe the general technique first and then
suggest a modification specifically for technological issues. Techniques developed specifically for
technology will then follow.

Hop]

The Muddiest Point:

As described earlier in this article, the Muddiest Point assessment is clearly useful in most learning
situations; it can be particularly useful in combination with instruction using technologies. In a distance
learning setting, the muddiest point activity combined with e-mail or with a coordinating teacher/facilitator
at the remote site can restore some of the interaction between students and instructor which may have been
compromised. If a course is using technology for instruction purposes, the instructor can phrase the
"muddiest point" question to assess the students’ self-analysis of their ability to manipulate the technology.
Finally, an exceptionally helpful question for use in the technological classroom is "What is the muddiest
point about the connection between the process used on the calculator (computer, etc.) and the principle
being studied today?" The Muddiest Point assessment is one of the most versatile of the assessments.

Hop]

Empty Outlines:

The Empty Outlines assessment [1, p. 138] has a name which provides a reasonably complete description
of the technique. The instructor asks the student to outline some portion of the lecture in a limited amount
of time. The student can be asked to start from scratch or the instructor may provide a partial outline of the
lecture. This technique can measure student understanding and analysis or student listening. The first time
the technique is used, the instructor may want to provide a partial outline before starting the lecture; this
would allow the students to be prepared for the task at the end of the lecture. If results are mixed, the
instructor may ask the students for feedback - did you not understand the concepts or could you not
organize them? This technique has the added benefit that providing partial outlines can enhance students’

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understanding of the technique of studying through outlining.

With respect to teaching with technology, there are additional applications of Empty Outlines. Outlines are
particularly useful in understanding multi-step processes. Thus, this technique can be used to enhance the
understanding of the steps in a technological process. Alternately, the instructor may ask the student to
outline the concepts studied and then provide notations in the outline where technology helped
demonstrate a particular fact or theory. Finally, when using technology as an instructional medium, the
provision for the Empty Outline assessment before instruction can help the students at a remote site focus
their attention on the purpose of the lecture and improve their concentration.

[To pi

Minute Paper:

This technique, also known as the One-Minute Paper [5] or the Half-Sheet Response [4], is widely used in
college classrooms. Once again the name is reasonably self-explanatory. Near the end of class, the
instructor asks the students to record on a note-card (or a half-sheet of paper) "the most important thing
you learned during this class." One may vary the questions to ask about items left unanswered, ethical
consequences of the issues discussed, or once again one could address the question of student learning by
asking them "What is the one thing from class today that you would most like to revisit?" The general
benefit of this assessment is once again to establish a level of listening and "on-site" critical thinking on the
part of the students. The first few times you try this, you will need more time and you will need to be
patient. As students learn to expect the question, they will be more prepared and you will have altered their
classroom learning style.

The Minute Paper can be used to address specific technological issues by recasting the question. The
students can be made aware of the value of the distance learning environment by asking "What aspect of
this lecture befitted from the use of the technology available in our distance learning environment?" The
instructor can evaluate the students’ understanding of the use of technology by asking "Which facts (or
theory) have been demonstrated today through the use of technology? Could they have been as effectively
demonstrated without the technology?" If one is particularly brave, one can recast the question as "Discuss
how the technology improved your understanding or explain how it confused you."

Hop I

Double-Entry Journals:

The general description of Double-Entry Journals is that students make notes about the beliefs or theories
in their assigned course reading. As a second entry in the journal, the student explains his/her reactions to
or questions about the notes in the first entry. This technique is modified in Angelo and Cross [1, p.263]
from a technique discussed as dialectical notebooks by Ann Berthoff [2] Depending on the emphasis
desired, one can direct these journal entries to focus on different specific aspects of the course work. These
assessments can benefit from being graded as they require more of the student and instructor time and as
presented must in general be done outside of class.

For technological purposes, the Double-Entry Journal can be modified to emphasize the value of the
particular technology in the leaming/teaching process. One can request the students divide the pages in half
in their journal; on the left side they can record a sample problem and on the right side they can record the
steps of the technological process (in words, not keystrokes) used in the solution of the problem. If the
learning environment is a distance learning setting, the students can be requested to divide in half the paper
used to record class notes. They can take their notes during class on the left side of the paper. When they

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/Martin.htm

Classroom Assessment Techniques Designed for Technology

are away from the instructor, they can then review the notes and record questions or comments on the right
side near the related class item. At the beginning of the next lecture session, the instructor can start the
class with the students discussing a portion of the questions and comments. This can provide the students
in a distance learning environment with a greater sense of communication with the class as a whole and
with the instructor.

Hop]

Course-Related Self-Confidence Surveys:

The goal of the Course-Related Self-Confidence Survey [1, p. 279] is to allow students who feel insecure
in a specific skills context to establish their level of insecurity and to allow their instructor to monitor and
hopefully moderate their insecurity. Requiring a little more preparation by the instructor, a survey is
designed which requests that students respond to questions about their self-confidence regarding specific
skills. Skills analyzed might involve public speaking skills, specific mathematical skills, or technical skills.
The students rate their confidence on a scale of "none. . .low. . .medium. . .high".

Clearly, this technique is very useful when a particular technology is used as a tool in a course. For
example, if calculators or Mathematica are used in a calculus class, the instructor needs to know if the use
of these technologies is actually interfering with the learning of the theory. If a lack of confidence towards
specific processes can be identified, the instructor can direct instruction and practice to improve the
students’ confidence. In a distance learning environment, this technique can be used during the initial few
meetings to establish a better "comfort zone" for the students who hesitate to speak "on-camera".

Instruction using technology, whether the use is incidental to the material, concurrent with the coursework,
or the substance of the course, introduces its own variations in the learning process. In the discussion
above, some "standard" learning assessment techniques were recast for use in a classroom with a
technological component. The remaining techniques are ones that apply directly to the technological
interfaces in the classroom - although they too could be modified to a more general setting. The three
general attributes of teaching with technology which must be measured are:

• The use of technology in support of other content

• The use of technology as the content being assessed

• The impact of distance learning/ general use of technology.

In all cases, we continue to use the term technology to encompass all equipment of a technological nature -
the broadest sense of the term.

Hop]

"To Use or Not to Use" Analysis:

The instructor prepares a sample problem or the description of a situation. The student is requested to
discuss reasons why technology is or is not needed to augment a theoretical analysis and to conclude with a
definite recommendation for the use of technology in the solution to the problem. The solution to the
problem is not included in the student work, but a numerical rating ("Rank on a scale of 1 to 10)
determining the critical need for technology is to be made by the student. In other circumstances, the
question might revolve around the choice between two differing technologies. Depending on the scope of
the course, the decision can be based strictly on a student’s personal choices or it may include a more
objective cost/benefit analysis in an advanced class. This technique is used primarily to analyze the use of
technology in support of other content; depending on the detail, it may be done inside or outside of class.

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Ilofil

Procedure Brochures:

The instructor prepares a sample problem or case study and asks the student to form a one-page brochure
which would provide directions for the solution of that type of problem. The student is to include a brief
outline of the steps to be taken, references to the appropriate pages in the text, and notations regarding
where technology is to be incorporated into the process. This is an assignment to be completed outside
class and is primarily used to assess the use of technology in support of other content. It can be recast for
use when technology as the content is to be assessed by asking the students to create a brochure delineating
the directions for "operating the technology" in the sample problem.

[Topi

Keystroke Reports:

Often, an early barrier to teaching with technology is assessing whether or not the students have learned the
right sequence of "keystroke" or operational steps to operate the technology. In this assessment, the
students are divided into pairs and given a sample problem to work. One student works the problem using
the technology; the other student records the exact steps/keystrokes used by the student. The assignment to
pairs can be made permanent and the students can share the results of their work. For simple technologies,
a few minutes of class time are more than sufficient for the assessment. For more complicated procedures,
this may be an assignment for submission at a later date. This is an assessment which is directed towards
assessing the students’ ability to perform procedures using a given technology.

HqeI

Technology Maps:

As a student learns to use more advanced features of a particular technology - computer, calculator, etc. -
the student may have difficulty finding a particular menu, sub-directory, or button. For this assessment, the
instructor asks the student to provide a map or a directory path for several operations or actions. For
example, in a class using calculators, the student might be asked to write out the path to the factorial
button. In a class teaching a spreadsheet, the student might be asked to write out a map to performing a
certain statistical function. These assessments of the student’s ability to perform certain technology tasks
can be undertaken quickly in class.

Hop]

Technology Chain:

The goal for this assignment is to provide improved communication between students and to assess their
ability to outline the steps in a procedure using technology. The instructor divides the class into pairs.
Depending on the number of students in the class, the instructor hands a description of a process or
procedure to one or more groups of students. Each group writes a description of the first step in the process
of solving the problem and then hands the paper to another group. This group provides the second step in
the process and then passes the paper to another group. The goal is to have each student group in the class
provide at least one step. The instructor may take the finished products and compiles them into notes for
the class, or the instructor may ask for the developed procedures to be read aloud. Do not do this
assessment unless you plan to practice it often - students find the assessment difficult the first few times.

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Structuring it as a series of relay races can sometimes help, depending on the character of the class.

Hop]

Pen Pals:

Specifically for the distance learning setting, this assessment attempts to combine communication between
students with a quick learning assessment. Each student is assigned a "pen pal" for the course. If there are
students at two locations, the students should be paired so that one is from each location. The student is
askea to write (or e-mail) one of the following: an outline of a particular process or concept, a paraphrase
of a particular process, or a brief answer discussion of the most important concept of the day. If e-mail is
not available, the teacher collects the papers during class and mails them to the facilitator of the other
session for distribution to the pen pals. At the beginning of the next class, students can "read their mail" to
the group as a whole. This can improve communication and comfort in a distance learning situation —
although the logistics require careful execution.

Ho pi

Benefits Analysis:

On a day which concludes the use of technology for the analysis of a particular problem, or on random day
in a distance learning environment, the instructor asks the student to comment on the pros and cons of the
use of technology for that day and write a concluding benefits analysis of the use of technology on that day.
If this activity is performed for a distance learning class, it is important to ask the student to include the
personal benefits in having the class offered as distance learning. In this manner, the student can be
reminded that although the use of technology may come at a price, in most cases it provides access to a
learning environment which would otherwise be unavailable. Other than the One-Minute Paper, this may
be the best method to assess student response to a distance learning setting; if the students never develop a
perception that the final analysis is positive, then the structure of the course can be reconsidered.

The goal of classroom assessment techniques is to "take the temperature" of the class learning environment
more frequently than practical if using graded, extended activities. Since the use of technology introduces
new variations into the classroom, it is even more important to understand the dynamics of the classroom.
When you find an assessment technique that works for you, it becomes a very comfortable and certainly
revealing practice which can help determine the direction of your teaching.

Hop]

References:

[1] Angelo, Thomas A., and Cross, K. Patricia, Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for
College Teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993.

[2] Bertoff, A. E., with Stephens, J. Forming/ Thinking/ Writing. (2nd ed.) Portsmouth, N.H.: Boynton
Cook, 1982.

[3] Mosteller, F. "The ‘Muddiest Point in the Lecture’ as a Feedback Device." On Teaching and Learning:
The Journal of the Harvard-Danforth Center, 1989, 3, p. 10-21.

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[4] Weaver, R.L., and Cotrell, H. W. "Mental Aerobics: The Half-Sheet Response." Innovative Hieher
Education, 1985, 10, 23-31. 8

[5] Wilson, R.C., Improving Faculty Teaching: Effective Use of Student Evaluations and Consultants "
Journal of Higher Education, 1986, 57(2), 196-211.

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Contact:

Mary Barone Martin, Professor of Mathematics
Middle Tennessee State University
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Murfreesboro, TN 37129

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Diane Baird, Librarian
Karin S. Hallett, Librarian*

. Middle Tennessee State University

Abstract
Introduction
Background
Fair Use

Formalities and Definitions

Conclusion

References

Contacts

Abstract

Copyright concerns, which affect resources and services in higher education, are presented. Topics
include a brief overview of the history of copyright, a discussion of copyright components, copyright in
the electronic age, and liability. Web sites addressing copyright are listed, and a bibliography of print
and electronic sources is provided.

Introduction

Copyright is an issue of endless depth and complexity, particularly in academe. Yet, as educators and
librarians we are required to have a basic understanding of its principles. We need to be aware of its
implications for teaching and learning since we deal with ideas and information conveyed in copyrighted
works on a daily basis. Moreover, understanding copyright in the electronic age, with new modes of
communication and publication, poses additional and constantly evolving challenges. To what extent
does the law enable teachers, students, and librarians to have access to information without infringing
upon the rights of authors? How do we use protected materials in a fair way? As librarians, we cannot
offer a comprehensive discussion of the topic but we can offer an introduction to the issues facing the
academic environment. In the conclusion, we list sources for ready reference to facilitate an
understanding of copyright law.

Background

Copyright is not a modem institution. The concept of copyright is over 400 years old. The protection of
creative property had little impact early in history because copying was a labor-intensive,
time-consuming, skilled craft that was expensive to produce. The arrival of the printing press changed
the environment of copying and distribution. The emergence of this new technology made printing and
copying fast, easy and inexpensive. But it also created an atmosphere of apprehension among copyright
holders and copyright seekers. New issues arose and were brought to the forefront. It seems that
technology has often been the impetus for taking a close look at current copyright laws. A brief look at

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S 6 Craf T W u aS expenslve t0 P rodu ce. The arrival of the printing press changed the environment of
copying and distribution. The emergence of this new technology made printing and copying fast, easy and
inexpensive. But it also created an atmosphere of apprehension among copyright holders and copyright
seekers. New issues arose and were brought to the forefront. It seems that technology has often been the
impetus for taking a close look at current copyright laws. A brief look at the history of copyright law will
give us a better understanding of our current laws. 6

The English Stationers’ Company, a membership guild that published the works of their members, was
gran e a Royal Charter in 1557. The guild paid a lump sum to an author and the Stationers’ Company held
the copyright. This limited most publishing opportunities to the wealthy and upper class and ever^ally
created an unacceptable situation. In 1710, the Statute of Anne was enforced, which allowed the author of
he work copyright for 14 years and, if the author was still alive, it could be renewed for another 14 years.

In the United States, the Statute of Anne was in effect until the drafting of the U.S. Constitution by the
e era Convention. The Convention deemed it wise to provide copyright protection stating that "the
Congress shall have power.. .to promote the progress of science and useful arts... by securing for limited
times to authors and inventors the exclusive rights to their respective writings and discoveries " George
Washington signed the first United States Statute in 1790, thereby establishing copyright and patent rights
in America. This first statute was amended so frequently to include new formats, new technologies, art
forms, and various creative efforts that it became cumbersome. Finally, in 1909, it was completely
overhauled prompting Mark Twain to observe, "Only one thing is impossible for God: to find any sense in
any copyright law on this planet." The new statute included many new formats and established a term of'
copyright of 28 years plus a renewal of 28 years. The last revision, in 1976, included inclusive language
that would not limit format or technology. This revision provided a term of copyright for the life of the

copyright holder plus 50 years. In 1989, the United States joined the Berne Convention for international
copyright protection.

Copyright law grants the copyright owner five exclusive rights, which are explained in more detail below
control of reproduction, preparation of derivative works, public performance, public distribution and
public display. But it also encourages the availability of copyrighted works to the public and facilitates
their accessibility and use. Copyright protects intellectual property just as other laws protect real property.

ince the United States joined the Beme Convention, it is no longer necessary to register or display
copyright. Two things are necessary: the work must be original and must be in a fixed, tangible medium
Any work conforming to these two principles has the potential for copyright.

Hop]

Fair Use 1

Copyright provides exclusive use of original works by the copyright owner. Yet, exclusive use by the
owner would not do much in fostering a scholarly environment, or the exchange of ideas. Therefore the
Fair Use Guidelines were implemented to establish a balance in the relationship between the rights of the
copyright owner and the rights of the user of copyrighted works. Fair use assures learning is not impeded
by copyright but still protects intellectual property. While fair use provides an avenue to photocopy
copyrighted works for purposes of teaching, scholarship, or research, it does not allow the abuse of
copyright under the guise of educational application. There are four factors that determine fair use as
provided by the United States Code, and they are a package deal:

The material must be used only for educational purposes without a hint of commercialism.

The nature of the work must lend itself to photocopying a portion of the work.

The amount copied should represent only a portion that does not impinge on the creative aspect of
the work or portion copied.

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• The quality and quantity of photocopying does not affect the potential value of the work.

The Fair Use Guidelines set the stage, but it was up to educators to apply them. Model guidelines are
available from most professional groups involved in education: teachers, librarians, publishers, producers
and researchers. The common goal is to adhere to fair use and address the concepts of brevity, spontaneity,
cumulative effect, and prohibitions as recommended in the Fair Use Guidelines. Brevity would cover a
chapter of a book, an article in a journal, a poem, or a chart; it would not be more than approximately 10
percent of the whole. According to the Fair Use Guidelines, spontaneity allows the copying of material,
which has just been found and is needed for effective teaching. Cumulative effect limits how much can’ be
copied from one source or one author and curtails the number of copies and distribution of these copies.
Each copy should contain a notice of copyright. f

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Two areas of concern regarding copyright in libraries are reserves and interlibrary loan. Photocopied
materials placed on reserves for student reading and requested for scholarly purposes through interlibrary
loan must adhere to acceptable guidelines.

Reserves

Materials on reserves often are photocopies. The same photocopied materials should not be distributed
every semester/lesson plan period. Each student and the teacher can expect to have a copy for their use and
the material should contain a copyright notice and complete citation. The copy should be free of charge
except for the cost of actual photocopying. When material is placed on reserve in the library, the amount of
materials and the number of copies should be within reason and contain a notice of copyright. According to
the guidelines, five copies of an article can be put on reserve and nine articles can be copied for one course.
The need for photocopied material that exceeds fair use should be collected in a course pack after
copyright clearance has been received. The photocopied reserves materials should not have a detrimental
market impact. Generally it is best if the library owns a copy of the work. All requests should follow
American Library Association guidelines or the guidelines established for the local campus. Electronic
reserves should be approached only after careful planning and should follow Fair Use Guidelines and be
password protected.

Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary arrangements are covered in Section 108 of the Act. Interlibrary borrowing and lending
operations are expanding for practical purposes, namely to continue serving patrons in the face of
decreasing library budgets and dramatically increasing prices, particularly for serial subscriptions.

Naturally, publishers, who are the copyright owners in most cases, have a vested interest in keeping the
number of photocopies produced low and the number of subscriptions, in the case of serials, high.
Therefore, "The need is for a copyright standard that permits customary interlibrary operations, but that
signals a reasonable limit and indicates when a library should reinstate its own purchase of the original
work... The challenge is to. bring practical meaning to that ambiguous limit." Recommendations made by
the National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works (CONTU), established by
Congress, are generally adopted as guidelines by libraries.

According to the CONTU Guidelines, "systematic reproduction or distribution" of copies is prohibited.
However, certain photocopying or reproduction of a work may be within the limits of fair use, specifically
js long as the photocopying or reproduction falls under the "Rule of Five." This rule stipulates that during

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one calendar year, no more than five arriH« Kr .

the most challenging to librarians and educators

bnng U.S. copyright law into confonLnce^vfth recent t°" m r° ^ dlgital age ' The DCMAinfendYto

media*’ ^ ”*** '» ^ e„vi ro „ J ent ^ s SfflSffl

H of C °P^hte 7 d 6 ^ of the copyright owner with the

17 of the U.S. Code. New Section 1201 stipulated ? MCA adds 3 new cha Pter (Chapter 12) to Tkle
technological measures used by copyright owner, n n V* “ 1 ^ ° f U ' S ‘ ,aw t0 circumvent }
information that copyright owners affix to a digital dn^^ th ^[ work ’ as well as to remove any copyright
exceptions Of interest to academicians is the exception” d 1S prohibition is subject to various §
ucational institutions to circumvent solely for the nnm 1C f P^™ 1115 non Profit libraries, archives and
whether they wish to obtain authorized a Z t0 the ' f a° mai ?" 8 3 8 °° d faith det ™nation a to
educational institutions have the right to codv and C L ?• A S °’ the DMCA stipulates that nonprofit
preservation, in accordance with Section lol ° Iglta documents for puiposes of archiring and

and disfance learnh^^ enVir ° nments discussed in more detail: nonprint works, the Internet,
Nonprint Works

Nonprint works include audiovisual and m„it' .•

materials such as records, tapes, Audiovisual ma ^rials are "non-book

and, are computer systems designed to capture stnr/ 1 e ° tapes ’ Mu, timedia materials, on the other
types of information: text, picture sound 2^^’ r6trieVe ’ disp,a y and pla y back multiple
present to qualify as a multimedia product." Nonprint wfriT V 6 °' At 16351 tW ° ° f the com P°nents must be
same nghts apply. They may be duplicated in pd P are protected under the copyright law fhp

Guidelines for Educational' MuWTO^i^educTtors Md^tuden!’'' 51 ’ 6 ' 1 ^ Committe « for Fair Use

educational purposes for up to two the^ 1° PerCent ' Jt can be for

a ^ ^ “ PieS Sh ° U ' d to c-ass use and 1° n

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• Is the copy for a face-to-face educational activity?

Is the copy being displayed in an educational facility”?

• Does the copy adhere to the Fair Use Guidelines?

Internet

’igM e foZ 0 rTh°e f iS d f, ned aS .! he technol °S>' Priding the means of

standard for using information transmitted through the InKm« Until revised ' is the

guidelines for fair use. The non-requirement tn 3r,v met u DlgUlzed matenaIs are covered by the
works from all Internet services including e mail annh^ 11 ! 8 ^ n0tl t0 a ° originaI work extends to
misconception is that material on ^^TlntemeiTs ° F the W ° rId Wide Web ' A c <™

considered copyrighted and noUoofedTr^ lndeed materiaI 0n the Inteme t must be

to avoid copyright infringement, possibly the bes” prartiL^rbTtrs 011 ' i" CaSC ° f Web P a S e s, in order
link generally conforms to copyright and ter use sfnce it ™ L "J np J t0 a Webpage ' An Intemet

E-mail," "? copyright infringement,

definitely in a fixed medium UntessT 1™ , dlsc “ s s, °" list, is often informative, creative and
assume it is copyrighted and sho^d be haTdtedfnTe “ pe ™ ssion for distribution, it is safe to

distributed with die consent onhe original'amhor, oT citedas Tcop^ightecfwork.^ 1656 W ° r * <S s ^ ou *d be

mgXgT/^ng ““ “ "" dear

restrictions, which accompany the copyright are outlined n !j’ 3 c ° pynsht notlce ls displayed and
of copyright and the license agreemenUnd thm is rhe eh' Unau . thonzed use and distribution is a violation

Software can include computer programs, databases, CD-ROMs, 2 S'S"' ' iabi ' ity

T ch same way - in “idontu

the right to demand the Online Service Provider notify a ennJurn . opy/igiu Act gives the copyright owner
Distance Learning

m^criimBllefeS 'T USe “Pynghted works in distance .earning

who are not in the physical mesenTnmh , 1 ,ean,,ng as a Nation where "one or more students

techno, ogy." The’ “ ° f
audio and video conferencing thp uLi *• * ■ modes of technology, including passive video

satellite <rans“S^^ d — « d another via

Since modes of transmission of instructional materials in a distance learning cihiati™ a * e

, r Chon in a haditiona, setting, no, on.y the rights to use ^ZT^Zt^d bu, also

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' ' the ri g hts f °r transmitting the course via some type of network- Th P ^ - i

« a teacher from seeing copyr^S^lT^ laW

gp=iiiiiiP

Sps^^KissKa-ai sxdsSss

IaWOffer , S sonw guldance on the types of materials that may be used, or may not be used in a
remote site considered a classroom? V a

fhe sumte ean ’ ,nS ^ * reCeived in a s,udem ' s honK ' ™ s ' h"*"* * «* within'the Lu o7'

The delivery of educational courses via the Internet poses additional questions For its versatility allowing

Intem^hTh 0 ““ COpyn ^ tedwo±s in different formats, including text, audiovisual, and software the §
Internet has become a popular distance learning format. In order to deliver copyrighted works via the’

nhotnrn T ‘T" ™ st f estrict acces s to enrolled students." Further, the guidelines for classroom

h!!! hf y r S H See t, ab ° Ve apply t0 the dellvery of an art[clQ via the Internet, meaning that permission must
be sought to distribute copyrighted works in excess of these guidelines. For inclusion of v

^° UrS f e J Veb Slte , permission from the copyright owner must be obtained. However, inclusion of ""short 00
Clips of these works on a protected web site may be a fair use because the copying is de rn^n^is but
including larger portions is not likely fair use." S minimis, but

Unhl the Copyright Act is amended "to make it clear that distance learning is the modem equivalent of

face-to-fece ms.ruct.on " better to be on the safe side and seek permissions. BruwSIeide reco^Lds

ih!i De ' 0Pe [, S f may a ' S ° need t0 acqulre n 8 hts 10 ^ate, reproduce, and distribute any derivative works

obS ?T , the C T e - Distributi0 " ^ <o send materials to distant learned 1" “ d t "° b f

d,\ nhnu7n P ?° r * course develo P er must think ahead about possible uses that wUI affect

distribution, transmission, and taping."

Lastly, the aforementioned DMCA requires that the Copyright Office consult with representatives of

z y ri?o c rt rs ' "°T fit , educationai institu,ions - and "° n P roflt ^ d -zsrsfsSter

changes to coSe °" Pr ° m ° te education throu * h digital technologies." So look for

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Formalities and Definitions
Copyright Notice and Registration

How to protect your work from infringement? As mentioned earlier since the U S ha* th- u
Convention in 1989 registering the work with the U.S. Copyright^

longer required. Instead, a work is automatically copyrighted as long as it is an "ori^nal work of

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' authorship" and "fixed in any tangible medium of expression." Yet, it would be a mistake to overlook the
benefits of copyright notice and registration for a work of authorship. Placing the copyright notice "©" on a
work not only provides important information to the reader, such as who the owner of the copyright is, it
also helps prevent infringers from claiming innocence. Registering the work with the U.S. Copyright Office
also provides the author with other important legal benefits. For example, if a copyright owner’s work is
infringed before registration, the owner is entitled to remedies but cannot legally enforce his or her rights
until the work is registered. "The copyright owner of a registered work may recover statutory damages as
well as attorneys’ fees if a case goes to court. Also, registration clearly advises the public of the copyright
for a work. In most instances, registration is required prior to filing suit for infringement."

Duration of Copyright

Published works created on or after January 1, 1978 are currently protected for the life of the author plus
fifty years. Anonymous and pseudonymous works, and works made for hire are protected for seventy-five
years from their first publication, or 100 years from their creation, whichever term expires first. A work
first published more than seventy-five years ago is generally considered to be in the public domain. For
example, during 1998 materials first published before 1923 may safely be assumed to be in the public
domain and therefore be copied and even republished without copyright permission. Works created by U.S.
Government employees during their employment are in the public domain. This, however, is not the case
for works created by state and local governments, which may claim copyright.

Similarly, unpublished works created on or after January 1, 1978 are protected for the life of the author
plus fifty years. "Unpublished works might include diaries, letters, survey responses, manuscripts,
photographs, art, or software - any type of work that has not been distributed to the public in copies." In
the case of unpublished works created before January 1, 1978, however, the copyright will not expire
before December 31, 2002. "Until then, the privileges of copyright and the limits of fair use apply to
unpublished manuscripts, letters, and diaries of even America’s leading historical figures."

The person who does the creative work is considered the copyright owner, unless the "work is made for
hire." In such cases, the employer rather than the creator is considered the author and copyright owner.
Independent contractors are not considered employees and therefore likely retain copyright ownership.

Two or more authors of a creative work jointly hold copyright ownership. Joint copyright ownership
allows each co-owner to use or license the entire work but requires them to account for all profits to the
other co-owners. A co-owner acting alone cannot transfer the copyright to another party or grant an
exclusive right to use the work without the consent of the other co-owners.

Copyright ownership comes with the following exclusive rights, granted by the Copyright Act, which last
for a specified time period (see above):

• The right to reproduce or copy the work

• The right to prepare derivative works

• The right to distribute copies or phonorecords of the work to the public

• The right to publicly perform the work (in the case of an audiovisual work)

• The right to publicly display the work (in the case of a literary, musical, dramatic, or choreographic
work, a pantomime, or a pictorial, graphic or sculptural work)

Requesting Permission from Copyright Owner

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/Baird.htm

In order to use other people’s copyrighted works, written permission must be obtained. First and foremost
the correct copyright owner must be identified, while keeping in mind that copyrights may be sold orTven
away, permission letter should include a description of the material to be used and a detailed explanation
of how it will be used. It should also include a place for the recipient to sign indicating that permission is
granted. An affirmative response must be received, otherwise permission cannot be considered granted.

Liability

Chapter 5 of the Copyright Act deals with the remedies for infringement. Remedies afforded a copyright
owner are injunction, impounding or destruction of the copies and the equipment used to produce the
copies, and recovery of all costs, including attorney’s fees. Monetary remedies may also be awarded.

nowingly infringing on the rights of the copyright owner in a manner not within fair use may result in
legal action If found guilty, penalties can range anywhere from $500 to $20,000 per work infringed upon
J nd “J t0 $ 100 > 000 for willful, or knowledgeable infringement. Damages for "innocent" infringement may
be $200, or even remitted for employees of educational institutions. "The courts shall remit statutory
damages in any case where an infringer believed and had reasonable grounds for believing that his or her
use of the copyrighted work was a fair use under section 107, if the infringer was: (I) an employee or agent
of a nonprofit education institution, library, or archives acting within the scope of his or her employment...
" In the case of willful infringement, the infringer may be criminally liable. In 1997, Congress amended the
Copyright Act, adding tougher criminal liabilities for willful infringement, particularly in electronic media.

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Conclusion

In many ways, academe is defined by the conveyance of information from one party to others, with the
university overseeing this transfer. The academic enterprise, therefore, is particularly vulnerable to
copyright infringement, making awareness of copyright law vital for all educators and academic librarians
alike. The Copyright Law is intended to balance the interests of copyright owners with the interests of the
users of copyrighted material. The Fair Use Guidelines are particularly relevant for "nonprofit educational
purposes. They assure the use of information for appropriate purposes, even without the permission of the
copyright owner. This does not mean, however, that librarians and educators can violate copyright law.
Rather, the following general guidelines must be considered before taking action: always apply the Fair
Use Guidelines, always secure the copyright owner’s permission when in doubt, and, if necessary, seek
alternatives. In addition, consider seeking legal advice and document that you have done so. Check
institution policies or guidelines on copyright. Always act in good faith and use common sense. In short,
you protect yourself best by erring in favor of the copyright owner.

Changes in the information world continually challenge interpretations of copyright law. Therefore, we
must stay current on legislation, particularly as formats for communication of ideas become more
sophisticated. For a topic of endless depth such as copyright, there is an equally endless amount of
information published. Following is an incomplete list of ready-reference sources.

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References

Books

An sell, Edward 0., ed. Intellectual Property in Academe: A Legal Compendium. Washington, DC:
National Association of College and University Attorneys, 1991.

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/Baird.htm

Besenjak, Cheryl. Copyright, Plain and Simple. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press, 1997.

Bielefield, Arlene and Lawrence Cheeseman. Technology and Copyright Law: A Guidebook for the
Library, Research, and Teaching Professions. New York: Neal-Schuman, 1997.

Botterbusch, Hope Roland. Copyright in the Age of New Technology. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa,

1 QQ£\ tr tr *

Bruwelheide, Janis H. The Copyright Primer for Librarians and Educators., 2d ed. Chicago. EL: American
Library Association, 1995.

Crews, Kenneth D. Copyright, Fair Use, and the Challenge for Universities: Promoting the Progress of
Higher Education. Chicago, EL: University of Chicago Press, 1993.

Elias, Stephen. P atent, Copyright and Trademark: A Desk Reference to Intellectual Property Law.
Berkeley, CA: Nolo Press, 1996.

Gasaway, Laura N. and Sarah K. Wiant. Libraries and Copyright: A Guide to Copyright Law in the 1990s
Washington, DC: Special Libraries Association, 1994.

Johnson, Wanda K. and Derri B. Roark, eds. A Copyright Sampler. Chicago, EL: American Library
Association (1996).

Patterson, L. Ray and Stanley W. Lindberg. The Nature of Copyright: A law of Users’ Rights. Athens, GA:
University of Georgia Press, 1991.

U.S. Copyright Office. Project Looking Forward: Sketching the Future of Copyright in a Networked
World. Final Report ( May 1998), by Professor I. Trotter Hardy. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Copyright Office,

Willis, Barry, ed. Distance Education: Strategies and Tools. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational
Technology Pub., 1994.

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World Wide Web Sources

American Association of Law Libraries (AALL)

http://www.aallnet.org/committee/copvrighr/

American College and Research Libraries (ACRL): Copyright Committee
http://www.librarv.cmu.edu/Unofficial/ACRI.

American Library Association (ALA): Position on Fair Use Guidelines in a Digital Information
Environment

http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon/alwn601.htm/

L-opyngtu in the Academic Environment

* ^ ^ http://www mtsu - edu/ -' 1 tcon^proceed99/Balrd.htm

' ' American Research Libraries (ARL) Office of Scholarly Communication
http://arl.cni.org/scomm/

Association of American Publishers (AAP)
http://www.publishers.org/home/

Cornell University Law School, Legal Information Institute

http://www.law.comell.edn

FindLaw

http://www.fmdlaw.com

Franklin Pierce Law Center: Intellectual Property Mall
http://www.ipmall.fplc.edu

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis: Copyright Management Center
http://www.iuPui.edu/it/convinfo

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA): Position Paper on Copyright in
the Electronic Environment V} 6

http://www.ifla .org/V/ehph/cnpv him

Manning and Napier Information Services: IpFrontline (Recent News, Trends, Technologies and
Legislation) ° ’

http://www.ip.com/ipFrontline/

Special Libraries Association (SLA): Selected References on Copyright and Special Libraries

http://www.sla.o rg/membershin/irc/copvright.html

Stanford University Libraries: Copyright and Fair Use

http://fairuse.stanford.edu

University of Texas :

in me Academic environment

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconfyproceed99/Baird.htm

http://www.utsvstem.edu/Qgc/intellectualproDertv/cprtindx.htm

U.S. Copyright Office

http://lcweb.loc.gov/copvright

U.S. House of Representatives Internet Law Library/Intellectual Property: Copyrights

http://law.house.gov/325.htm

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

http://www.wipo.org

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Guidelines

American Library Association: Model Policy Concerning College and University Photocopying
Gopher://alaLala.org:70/00/alagophix/504030Ql, document
Classroom Photocopying, Music, Off-Air Recording
http://www.musiclibrarvassoc.org/Copvright/

Classroom Use of Videotapes and Computers Software
http://www.ifla.org/documents/infopol/copvright/ala - 1 .txt
Ethical and Legal Use of Software
http://www.ifla.org/documents/infopol/copvright/educom.txt
Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/avs/fairuse/guidelinedoc.html
Fair-Use Guidelines for Electronic Reserve Systems
http://www.cc.columbia.edu/~rosedale/guidelines.html
UCLA: Library Copyright Policy
http://www2.librarv.ucla.edu/copvright/toc.htm
HQ pi
Endnotes

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*■ ' * ,o Cmrishtu - *■ *■

Ibid., 6.

3. Ibid., 7.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6 ' Snnfvnl M TT ed Humorous Anecdotes By and About Samuel L. Clemens.

(Knoxville, University of Tennessee Press, 1985), 92.

7. Gasaway and Wiant, 8.

8. Ibid.

9. Model Policy Concerning College and University Photocopying. April 3, 1995. American Library
Assoc, anon. Available: gopher://alal.ala.org:70/00/alagophix/50403001.document. Accessed SLh

10. Ibid.

11. Crews, Kenneth D„ Copyright, Fair Use, and the Challenge for Universities: Promoting the
r™ 8 ™ °f Higher Education, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993), 98

' Copyright OfflcOMS) 7 ? D ' sUal M>llemium Copyright Act of 1998 ([Washington, D.CJ: U.S.

13. Harrod’s Librarians’ Glossary (Brookfield, VT: Gower, 1990).

ft' i"7 Internat 10021 Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science. (New York: Rutledge, 1997)

15. Bielefeld Arlene and Lawrence Cheeseman, Technology and Copyright Law: A Guidebook for the
Library Research, and Teaching Professions, (New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 1997) 135.

. ruwelheide. Jams H., The Copyright Primer for Librarians and Educators, 2d ed (Chicago-
American Library Association, 1995):89-90

11 ' Steberi998H3'' ” C ° Pyrigh,: A Challcnge t0 Distancc Uamin 8- P ® >■" Information Outlook 2

18. Gasaway, Laura N„ "Copyright: A Challenge to Distance Learning. The 1976 Copyright Act ”

Information Outlook! (November 1 998)- 15 6

19. Ibid.

20. Gasaway (October 1998):43.

21. Bruwelheide, 88.

22. Bruwelheide, 7.

23. Crews, Kenneth D., "Indiana University Copyright Tutorial: Message." March 2 - I998 - Online oosting

Available E-mail: listserv@li stserv.iupui.edu . Accessed March 2, 1998. *

24. Crews, Kenneth D„ "Indiana University Online Copyright Tutorial." March 4, 1998. Online posting.

Available E-mail- listserv@listserv.iupui.edu. Accessed March 4 1998

25. Ibid.

In' ?^ WS ’ Kenneth D > ," Indiana University Online Copyright Tutorial." March 6, 1998.

27. Online posting. Available E-mail: listserv@list serv.iuDui.edu Accessed March 6, 1998.

28. Crews Kenneth D "Indiana University Online Copyright Tutorial." March 9, 1998. Online posting

Available E-mail: listserv@li stserv.iuDui.edu Accessed March 9, 1998. 6

Contacts:

Diane Baird, Librarian
Karin S. Hallett, Librarian*

Middle Tennessee State University
P.O. Box 13

Murfreesboro, TN 37132

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Names are listed alphabetically to indicate equal authorship.

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Effective Use of Audio in Multimedia Presentations

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/kerr.html

Effective Use of Audio Media in Multimedia Presentations

Presented by Brenda Kerr
Middle Tennessee State University

Abstract

Why Should Educators Include Audio Media in their Presentations?
Learning Styles

Examples: Effective Use of Audio in Multimedia Presentations

Literal Sounds and Non-Literal Sounds

Functions of Sound as Used in Radio and Television

Roles of Audio Media in Multimedia Production

Aesthetic Factors of Sound

Software

Audio File Types and Platform Compatibility
References

This paper emphasizes research-based reasons for adding audio to multimedia presentations. Media
examples, links for gaining more in-depth knowledge concerning this topic and procedures for adding
audio media from any PC (Macintosh or Windows-based) can be referenced from the following URL:
http : //www .mt su . edu/~itres .

This topic was chosen because the author has observed many faculty members adding still images,
video, and links to web and non-web documents to their presentations but few faculty members have
taken advantage of the learning provided by audio media integration. In preparation for designing a class
around this topic the author has begun the following investigation into research in the effective use of
audio media in multimedia presentations.

IloEl

Why Should Educators Include Audio Media in their Presentations?

Thompson, Simonson, and Hargrave in Educational Technology, A Review of the Research (AECT)
reviewed studies conducted on the effectiveness of audio media on learning when accompanied by other
forms of media. Their review of the studies offered the following suggestions :

• Students can learn when various forms of audio media accompany other media.

• The use of background music can increase achievement for some learners, but is probably not
necessary.

• The use of audio media with other media may enhance the understanding of content material.

• The meaning of a visual message is often ambiguous and subject to personal interpretation. The
use of words to direct attention is essential.

• With visuals, some verbalization is better than no visuals, but there is no optimum amount. Slow
speeds for transmitting verbal information are favored but they can be too slow. Rates need to be
tailored to fit the student and their familiarity with the content.

• When narration is accompanied by video the optimum rate of the narration appears to be slower.

• The audio channel is much more capable of maintaining attention if it is used as an interjection on
the visual channel rather than being continuously parallel with the visual.

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Elective Use of Audio in Multimedia Presentations

tailored to fit the student and their familiarity with the content.

• When narration is accompanied by video the optimum rate of the narration appears to be slower

• The audio channel is much more capable of maintaining attention if it is used as an interjection on
the visual channel rather than being continuously parallel with the visual.

Types of Research Studies

Evaluation Research is usually the first type of research done for each media type. Evaluation Research
tries to determine whether people can learn from a particular form of media. It was found that given
avorable conditions, students could learn from any instructional media. Media comparison studies were
!ioo^° n ^ UCte ^ t0 ^ t0 d etermine if one media type was more effective in learning than another type
( 920 s - 1960 s). Media comparison studies produced insignificant results. For every study that showed
that a new medium was better, another study showed the opposite .

Intra-medium studies were the next type of research conducted. Intra-medium studies examined the
interactions among student, task, and specific media characteristics in terms of what happens when these
variables were manipulated. They compare alternative methods of using a particular medium. According to
1 hompson, Simonson, and Hargrave the design of these studies were based on Saloman’s

observation that the effectiveness of a medium depends on the nature of the instruction. The major research
question in these studies was "Which are the most effective instructional approaches using this medium 9 "

A particular medium was used in all groups participating in the study. The independent variable was the
instructional approach, not the medium itself .

The next type of research conducted was Aptitude Treatment Interaction Studies. Aptitude Treatment
Interaction Studies attempted to take into account student aptitudes in the research design Media
researchers accepted a new paradigm. This paradigm acknowledged the interaction that occurs between
external stimuli (presented by media) and internal cognitive processes that support learning (Clark 1988)
Information about a learner was helpful in adapting instruction in order to provide an environment’in
which particular learners can thrive. Clark tells us that media by themselves do not affect learning but
rather it is the particular qualities of media or a specific medium that "affects particular cognitive processes
that are relevant for students with specific aptitudes to learn particular knowledge or skills" Research in
Aptitude Treatment Interaction Studies have led people to recognize "the importance of different learning
styles and methods of processing information as well as the correlation that exists between learner
variables and content treatments.

Ilppl

Learning Styles

Gordon (1998) researched the relevance of learner characteristics and learning styles when planning law
school courses. He identified the four major learning modalities, kinesthetic, tactual, auditory, and visual.
Kinesthetic learners and auditory learners seemed to benefit the most by the integration of audio media into
teaching strategies. Gordon’s table below provides a list of suggested teaching techniques based on
learning modalities. He does not provide data on the tactual learner .

*iu4uiueaiu nesentauons

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/kerr.htr

Kinesthetic

Auditory

This student wtll benefit from hearing audio tapes, rote oral practice
lecture or a class discussion. This student will benefit from tutoring ’ 1

another or deltvering an explanation to hisdter study group one the j

Visual )

This student will benefit from worksheets, workbooks, and texts Given
some „me alone with a book, this student may learn more th^ the ^lass. !

Examples: Effective Use of Audio in Multimedia Presentations

foreeelements ot^oun^used^mu^m^^prcsen utions 8 He lists the
to stimulate learning through the functions they serve and roles 6 they prov^D 56 .elements should be used
summarized in the next few pages. * 1 ttiey provide - Daniels’ ideas are

Elements of sound

Stes^^ effects, and music. Silence and its

discussed in the next three sections of this na^er It k ; J™* fu k nctl0ns of these elem ents are
the audience when using audio mediatoevokesourrpi educator use care in considering

been thoroughly exposed to the source that produces the s^ not

Audio Element: Speech

teed below 811 '' a " d direCt addreSS ^ ,hree functions of *■= speech element. Their functions will be

Narration

Narrative speech can be used to:

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presented with text, the text antedofmus,^ b ° e » XT' When na ™ ta " *

distraction and cause interference in learning the m„re f n S u me ' D,scre P ancies may result in
misinterpretation of material 8 ma ‘ enal whlch translates to motion or

Replace text:

Narration is most useful, as a replacement nf tr»Yt xi/ho™

text would reduce the visual impact of the rare N»™« SpaCe ,s limited and the addition of
Direct viewer's attention: P 8 NfflIatlon Sav “ screen space and visual clutter.

The image displayed on the screen may need to be the focal nnint m, *• • .

attenhon to the image being displayed rather than forciL the viewe^SemLT 1 ! ‘° d ' reC ‘ V ‘ e "' er
image and reading the text explanation. 8 to alternate between viewing an

Effective Use of Audio in Multimedia Presentations

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/ken-.html

NaiTation and dialogue together can:

Affeci intensity by setting the pace. Pace effects the intensity of emotion during a presentation
Examples include:

Fast moving narration adds to the intensity of time lapsed animation. Slow moving narration
complements the sober mood of a funeral.

Fast paced dialogue between two characters can reflect tension, anger, excitement, or nervousness.
Smooth, even paced dialogue reflects friendliness, relaxation, and confidence.

Affect the listener s perception through changes in tone quality.
Examples include:

• Bright and present nairation is perceived to be closer and more intimate and trustworthy

• Speech that sounds dull and distant would have the opposite effect.

Direct Address

Direct address refers to the character speaking directly to the audience.

Examples include:

• Some TV commercials that talk directly to the audience.

• Speeches

• Newscasts

Audio Element: Sound Effects

Sound effects can function contextually and narratively.

Contextual Function

When sound effects have a contextual function the sound effect interprets the visual as it appears.
Examples include:

• a dog barking or a dog begging for a treat

• the roar of a jet or airplane engine in normal flight or taking off, or the sound of a jet having engine

Narrative Function

Mien sound effects have a narrative function the sound effect adds more to the image’s apparent
information. The functions of the narrative format can be broken down even further into those that provide
descriptive effects and those that serve a commentary function.

Narrative Function: Descriptive Effect

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Effectivellse of Audio in Multimedia Presentations

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/kerr.htm;

Sound effects contribute to the subtle aspects of an image. Subtle aspects are those features that are hard to
define or perce, ve but that contribute greatly to the emotional effect of the image or scene.

Examples include:

’ S a p^ticute mo^d ° Cea " SUrf WhiCh ” ay indUde gUllS ’ pe0ple playing ’ and b0at sounds used t0

• The sound of a violent ocean surf and warning sirens sounding in the background. The mood of this
example would be quite different than the mood of the first example.

• Sr a KI C !T °/ a m f tal tria r gle being Struck with a metal be * ter - The audience may hear a clink
indicating ha the tnang e may be made of inferior materials or they may hear a clear ringing sound

indicating that the tnang e is made out of quality materials. Perhaps the audience only heirs a thud
crfwoal or plastic ^ Y ““ * W " S made ° f metal but have **ually been ™de

• Imagine a picture of a cymbal player crashing a pair of cymbals. If a clear ringing sound is heard the

rr^hk h n °Tf th if ! S holding the cymbals correctly as they are being played. If a muffled

crash is heard followed by little nnging the teacher assumes that the player is not holding the

cymbals correctly and may be placing too much of his/her hands on the cymbals as they are being

Narrative Function: Commentative Sounds

Commentatwe sounds also tell more about an image but the information is usually unrelated to the visual

Example:

Imagine a program about air pollution and a scene of city traffic. Treating and blending the car
we 8 brelthe" SPUtter ^ C ° Ugh ’ comments on the detrimental effects that air pollution has on the air

Audio Element: Music

Music is very effective in communicating complicated emotions and moods. Functions of music in
multtmedm presentahons include establishing locale or time, identifying characters and events, acting as a

scenes> and setting the mood and pace ° f ~

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Locale. Music can define a locale with ethnic melodies

1960’s 1 rte C Romanera h ‘ ime Wi ' h mUSiCa ‘ e ' ementS *"* S “ ggeSt 3 Peri ° d in histor >' Such as the

Identification: Music can identify characters and events with recurring themes. A short musical
phrase or spectfic sound effect can be used to signal the appearance of a person, action, or situation
ihis is sometimes called leitmotiv (German for "leading motive")

Transitions: Music can be used to connect one idea or scene to another. It can also smoothe the transition to a contrasting
theme. It prepares the audience by letting them know that something is going to change. 8

Pace: Music can be used to establish the pace of the presentation. This pace can parallel the visual
media or provide counterpoint to signify tension or irony.

Effective Use of Audio in Multimedia Presentations

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/kerr.htr

Silence

s,? sound - si,ence - * - »

the use of silence as well as the use of the other audio eleme k * a^ presentaci0ns need to consider
earlier in this paper, the audio channei U a prcsentati °"- As stated

interjechon on the visual channel rather than being continuously paral^She Wsul" “““ “ S “

Hop]

Literal Sounds and Non-Literal Sounds

■«*. «own sounds into two

Non-literal sounds include background music and other *n S ^ ° ° 6 speech and environmental sounds.
• All of the sound elements ^ in some

about how they can be used as you readme definitions below 5 “ 2 ^ ° r non ’ IlteraI wa y- Think

Literal Sounds

sound-produci^sot^e.^on^rsatio^^nhe Mu*nd Il f teraI . n ? i eanin S- The y refer the listener to the
Literal sounds can be source-connected or source-disc™^ t0 P6 ° pIe and automobiI es.

source when they hear source-connected sounds Thp cn e udience can see the sound-producing
listener vis/a, izes the ^^t^S"**"'*** S ° U " d " ° ff — "•

Non-Literal Sounds

deSS literal meaning. They are

following sound effects boines hiss^c and u image of the sound-producing source. The

Romantic music pla^din t^actgToun^l^aio^^Lr “"f f* T*

non-story space !° "" «— - «„ed S me^thf/occupy

Summary

^^^^oTAei>CTntext within^rp^ent^^n orscene 1 M Ce ^ e *“ be liKral 0r *****

the mood of a scene would be considered non literal sound m P , aye f ln the back S round to influence
orchestra musicians perfonn, wouIdte^TdeSStu^ P ' ^ “ the aU<W watch “

Hop]

Functions of Sound as Used in Radio and Television

Pr0dUCti ° n iM ° eategories. He

orientation . These funchons s/ould a,so

O dde information

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. Elective Use of Audio in Multimedia Presentati,

"ifij

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SMS Jsssss t ^rr : the f r of ***«■ a„d

Establish Outer Orientation

,he r e in space ' *■* «,

produced in a large room sound different than those Drodured atl ° n ’ th< r. spatial environment (sounds
(sounds of people and objects not seen on-screen?Mo^n 21 small room) and off-screen space
bacon frying distinguishes the time of day. Situat ofoS^ T f "" aIaim cIock rin ging and
specific situation. These sounds may be predictive TuS ^ T° th ° Se that des ^be a

of a person or action (leitmotiv), or they may signify th P • U f ed t0 indicate the recurring appearance
(non-recurring). y may Slgruf y the coming of an event such as danger

Establish Inner Orientation

and structure to the scene. Mood can be sit using mustc ? ^ ^ imernaI COndition ’ and Provide energy
produced sound. Sounds that indicate an unstabte T °/ non ' musicaI > electronically

internal condition. Sounds provide or increase the aesthetir * * ° f feelings of a P erS0n establish the
emotions of the viewers. c ener SY of a scene. This energy affects the

versus .a, of the visua, source.

each other. If the sound and visual structure are considered nS i i,™' 8 " *’ 0r hlghly inde pendent of

tiZ 71 rateS ° f ‘ he vis,lal and aud ‘° structures mvtrl'hlv 5 ' m ° Ve “ ‘ he Same ra,e ' In ineguhr

time and then move separately. If the visual and andiV, J ^ They may move t0 S ettler for a period of
provide contrast and interaction amonX ^s \ indepen<fc " Ily of one anoVer they

flop]

Roles of Audio Media in Multimedia Production

Pr d UCti ° n ' ro ' es “

described below. Examples anTprovided" P d Each roIe ig

Picture defines sound

a lS ^ image is 50 stron g that the

sound effects described earlier in this paper. T V£ry SlmiIar t0 ** descriptive function of

Example:

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Effective Use of Audio in Multimedia Presentations

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• A raging storm, with crashing waves and bent palms demands a soundtrack that consists of wind
surf, and rain sound effects. Audio is supportive of the dominant visual, reinforcing the image.

A quiet beach with small calm waves demands a soundtrack that consists of soft surf sounds and
sounds of children playing.

Sound defines picture

When the sound defines the picture the sound is so distinctive that the listener forms an image of the
source in his or her mind before the image is displayed. Examples are listed below. Remember to consider
the background knowledge of your students when you use sound in this manner.

• Multimedia program on the Brazilian rain forest

• A still image of the jungle interior is accompanied by the solitary sounds of the environment:

• Rainfall

• Bird calls

• Other animals

• Lively ethnic music

• Distinctive Sounds Produced by Objects

• Sound of chain saws

• Sound of various types of machinery

Sound parallels picture

Sound parallels picture is the most common relationship between audio and visual elements. The audio

element combines with the visual element to create a mood or deliver information that is more potent than
either element alone .

• Example. The sounds of battle with gunshots, cannon, and anguished screams complement the visual

of a battle scene. The ferocity and destruction of war is conveyed by both media separately but is
intensified by both elements together. y ’ S

Sound counterpoints picture

Sound counterpoints the visual image when both media elements contain unrelated information that creates
an effect that is not conveyed by either media element alone. Previously Zettl (1999) told us that visual and
audio elements moving independently of each other provide contrast and interactivity among media types.

• Example: In a presentation on the civil rights movement, irony is created when a visual montage Of
segregated public facilities is underscored by a reading of the United States Constitution.

J Xopl

Aesthetic Factors of Sound

There are three basic aesthetic factors of sound use in any scene. They are figure ground, sound
perspective, and sound continuity. Figure ground is the most important sound in the scene, the sound that
& ^ m phasized. All other sounds will be in the background. Sound perspective refers to close-up sounds

Effective JJse of Audio in Multimedia Presentations

http://www.rntsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/kerr.htni

IIqpI

Software

Mac: Recording Audio

• Simple Sound

• Sound Edit

PC: Recording Audio

• Sound
Recorder:

• Sound Forge

Multi-platform: Recording Audio

• QuickTime

• Real Audio

• Narration recorded from within
PowerPoint

Software for Automating Online Multimedia Presentations

• Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL):
ht tp://webreview.com/w r/pnh /1999/03/l7/fenrureyindpY hrml

• RealAudio/Video: h ttpV/www. realm idin mm

• Top Class: http://www.wbtsvste.mr: com/

The Sync-O-Matic 3000: http.://w ww.egr.msu.edu/~crs/nmie.ets/svnpnm a r/

J Jopl

Audio File Types and Platform Compatibility

• Editing Visual and Audio Media Class (MTSU):
h ttp://www.mtsi).edu/~itres/itt/Vi s ualAudioHandont/pnoe7 hrmi

• Duquesne University’s Digital Duke: ha B ,-//the-du ke.d, l n-duke.d U n.edn/norec/T htm

References:

Company Si8h ‘ S ° Und M ° ti0 "' Applied Media Aesthelics - Sa " Frisco: Wadsworth Publishing
IIPPI

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The 24th national Institute on

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Satellite Outreach Program to Rural K-12 Schools

Authors: John Sanborn, Stacey Borasky, and Charles Frost
Social Work Professors
Social Work Department
Middle Tennessee State University

Abstract

Introduction

Discussion

Results

Contacts

ABSTRACT:

Middle Tennessee State University recently developed a satellite-linked, interactive, distance learning
system with six rural K-12 schools. Faculty were then invited to make a single presentation over this
system. The Social Work Department, recognizing both the opportunities and the limitations presented
by this new system, elected to be one of the presenters. However, instead of simply broadcasting one
presentation, we proposed that a comprehensive program be developed using the distance learning
system as one component. The comprehensive program included four broadcasts, contacts by phone and
in person with key personnel at the schools and with the students, administration of questionnaires with
the students, and the provision of six videotapes to help prepare the students for the broadcasts. The
results of this effort are reviewed and evaluated.

{lop]

Introduction:

Middle Tennessee State University, with the assistance of a USD A grant, recently developed a
satellite-linked, interactive, distance learning system with six rural K-12 schools in Middle Tennessee.
Faculty were then invited to make a single presentation over this system. The Social Work Department,
recognizing both the opportunities and the limitations presented by this new system, elected to be one of
the presenters. However, instead of simply broadcasting one presentation, we proposed that a
comprehensive program be developed using the distance learning system as one component.

Our outreach effort to these six rural schools was planned to include the following:

1. A satellite broadcast, on October 29, 1998, to the teachers at the six schools to discuss what their
student needs were and how we might best meet those needs.

2. Follow up contacts by phone and in person with key leaders at the six rural schools to refine how
we might be of assistance.

3. Provision of six videotapes that we have developed dealing with drugs, alcohol, and violence for
the schools to be used in the classes prior to our satellite broadcasts with the students.

4. Administering to the students at each of the schools a questionnaire that would help determine

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2. Follow up contacts by phone and in person with key leaders at the six rural schools to refine how we
might be of assistance.

3. Provision of six videotapes that we have developed dealing with drugs, alcohol, and violence for the
schools to be used in the classes prior to our satellite broadcasts with the students.

4. Administering to the students at each of the schools a questionnaire that would help determine their
problems and needs.

5. Having our senior social work students, many of whom went to these or similar rural schools, visit
the six schools and interact with the students in a program designed to help them examine their
behavior.

• All of the above leading to three satellite-linked, interactive, television broadcasts to the six schools.
These were entitled: Anger Management: How to Prevent Violence in Our Schools I, II, & III.
They were broadcast on three successive Thursday afternoons in February, 1999.

We have envisioned that this is part of a long range and comprehensive effort to reach out to these six
schools by the faculty and students of the Social Work Department. The problems we encountered, how we
were able to overcome some of the problems and not others, and what recommendations we would make to
anyone attempting a similar outreach to rural schools will be discussed. The results of this first phase of the
program will be presented.

J TopI

Discussion:

This type of distance education, which combines a variety of methods of instruction, including broadcasts,
need assessment, the distribution of videotapes and meetings between high school and college students at
several locations, creates wonderful opportunities and presents significant challenges. One of the most
important things we learned and the key concern that anyone needs to anticipate in this effort is that it will
take a lot more time and energy to coordinate these types of activities than you can possibly anticipate.

Even schools that want to participate in such an endeavor will tend to present obstacles to any such effort.
Schools, for good cause, tend to be very turf protecting systems. Also, schools tend to be fairly rigid
organizationally. For example, when dealing with six different school systems, we ran into the problem of
trying to find a time for our broadcasts that would fit all six schools. They were not about to change their
school hours to accommodate our one-hour time slot. Any one-hour slot inevitably was acceptable to some
and not other schools. We resolved this by expanding the broadcast to 1.5 hours. The first and last
half-hour were repeats and the middle half-hour was the same for all schools. Thus, a school could tune in
at 1:00pm and stop at 2:00pm or they could tune in at 1:30 and stop at 2:30. This worked for everyone,
however, as you can imagine, it substantially increased the costs, time, and energy for all of us at the
university.

Also, communication can become very tangled, to say the least. When both organizations, e.g., MTSU and
the six schools, do not have a full-time person responsible for ensuring that information flows correctly,
then Murphy's Law takes effect — if something can go wrong, it will go wrong! We made it clear that we
were going to have three student broadcasts that built on one another. However, the schools changed
student groups on us in mid-stream and the type of student being served changed from ones that needed
educational information to those that needed treatment and were inappropriate for participation in a
broadcast situation. Although you cannot avoid these types of complications, you do need to anticipate
them and be ready to adjust your effort accordingly.

A brief but very scary moment occurred in one broadcast where students at one school, that was watching
the performance of students at another school, made disparaging remarks about the other students. We

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imagined the future news headline: "MTSU Professors Start Violent School Wars." Fortunately, the
offended students handled it very maturely and the broadcast continued without complications. Student
participation at both college and high school levels was very positive. Our MTSU students found the visits
they made to the high schools to be very educational as they learned how to work effectively with both
students and the school environment. However, that does not mean that this was problem free Some
schools and teachers welcomed our MTSU students into their high schools with open arms while others
made them feel as though they were unwelcome intruders. Therefore, it is important that the college

student be both prepared for this type of mixed reaction beforehand and have a time to talk about it
afterwards.

At the time of this writing, we have completed one group meeting between MTSU and high school
students and we are preparing for the other visits. The first meeting went very well and proved to be an
important component of this distance learning project. This took place in a regularly scheduled high school
class, which was visited by, approximately twenty-five of our social work majors and two project faculty.
One of us was responsible for videotaping the process; the other facilitated it. The group meeting started
with an icebreaker activity involving group cooperation and intergroup competition. This led to a
discussion, initiated by the college students, of social activities among adolescents. The resulting
interaction between high school and MTSU students and the ability of the high school students to share
their perspectives with the group were impressive. Both student groups reported that they benefited from
the process. The high school students learned something about recreational activities from each other and
from the college students. Our social work majors learned a good deal about group processes. Additionally,
the videotape of this meeting was invaluable in the preparation of materials for the first February
broadcast. Edited segments were used to illustrate the value of group discussion in a process of identifying
and understanding different perspectives. This material also provided examples of constructive uses of
leisure time by adolescents. In our broadcasts, we made a concerted effort to get students involved. We
attempted this in a variety of ways. First, since we videotaped the students during our visits, they knew that
they would be seeing themselves on television during the broadcast— their "15 minutes" of fame, so to
speak. At the start of the broadcast we also tried to get them enthused by having them not just "sign-in" but
do so vigorously contesting with one another. At each of the remote sites we had one or more of our
MTSU students sitting in to encourage participation. We let students know that they could participate by
asking questions and being on-camera or by simply passing a note to our student who would present their
question. At our first broadcast we did a role-play with our MTSU students and as this seemed to work
quite well, we arranged for the students at the remote sites, with the assistance of our MTSU students, to
do their own role-plays on-camera. All of this helped to create a learning environment that was
participatory and engaging for the high school students and, in general, they reported back, on confidential
evaluation forms processed by the satellite program manager, that they thoroughly enjoyed the program.
However, this was not always the case. During one broadcast, in an attempt to get the students more
involved, we role-played with them via satellite. What occurred is that one of us angrily attacked one of the
students, noting both before and after the attack, that it was just a role-play, that we were not really angry
with anyone. However, the anger was so vivid that it erased all of the other parts of the message and the
students became offended. Fortunately, our student at the remote site was able to effectively handle this
problem. And, eventually, the students were able to see that when a person expresses anger, we often get so
fixated on the emotions that are aroused that we fail to understand what is really going on.

Another concern that had to be repeatedly dealt with was confidentiality. We told the students that they
should not share personal information about themselves over television, that they should talk about what
"others" are doing. However, this was not always followed and should be repeated at the start of every
broadcast. Also, each school that participated needed to deal with confidentiality issues as well.

At our third student broadcast we changed the format. We told the students at each of the schools to spend
O 1 s minutes discussing among themselves what problems they wanted answers to and we had one of our

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college students at each of the sites to facilitate this brief discussion. At the end of the discussion the
schools called in their concerns and we improvised role-plays to deal with each concern.

Assuming that this is a new endeavor on your part as it was for us, you should be alerted to the fact that
technology can be challenging and sometimes less than reliable. We needed to have practice sessions to
team both how to utilize the technology as well as how to best develop and present maSal over Z

‘ fy ° u a „ sk remote s ;‘ es 10 <*«* in with you and then wait for them to do so, you
have a lot of dead time that undermines what you are attempting to achieve. Therefore, it is important that
you keep presenting material while waiting for them to check-in. Also, you need to be prepared for the

teQ ‘ ,T re r entin§ material Wh£n 311 0f a sudden a P icture of a " infant with undistended
s appeare on the monitor. A glitch of some technical type occurred and someone else's nursing

course started to get transmitted instead of our program. As this was a new system and we were among the

needs to h^nl h pr ,° blems W3S extremeI y hi § h - However, that potential is ever present and

to be planned. How do you plan for the unplanned? You first try to think of all the things that can go

wrong and have a response for them. For example, what if the remote site fails to receive the transmission?

(You then send them a taped copy, an explanation, and an apology.)

LT b ?u time , bef ° re startin § 7 our broadcasts, it would be a very good use of your time to tape a
show Without the audience, pretending that they are out there listening, and then viewing the tape. You will
most likely learn a great deal by so doing. For example, you may find that what you are doing arid saying is

smns ai f d 1Sn C T unng ,. the atte " tl0n ° f y0ur audience - This is especially likely given the short attention 8
spans of most video audiences. Or, you may discover that the technical crew is not varying the shots of you

or not providing enough close-up shots so that you need to provide more instructions to them as to what

you would hke them to do. If you can't do this ahead of time, then after each broadcast you should review
what you did by viewing a tape of the broadcast.

The content of the program was designed to be experiential and spontaneous. This is one of the strengths of
this type of programming. However, it also is a challenge, as you have to be prepared to fill the time
effectively. You may need to have taped material or other backup plans ready should the need arise.

Next year we are planning on repeating our effort at satellite broadcasts to these six rural schools.
However we feel we will be better prepared and view our first effort as a successful learning experience
^ f 0 plan °" * gmficantly changing our plan. Next year we are going to visit each of the participating
schools in the fall semester and at that time videotape their role playing of critical issues they wish the
program to address. We will then use their role-plays, along with videotaped role-plays performed by our
college students, as an essential part of the satellite broadcasts. We will show the role-plays and comment
upon them and respond to comments coming in from the six remote sites. To encourage participation by
the students in the role-plays, we are going to create a contest; one with prizes for all participants so that it
isawin-wincontest. Since one of our concerns this inaugural year was parent involvement and permission
for their children s participation, we are also going to make sure that parents are more aware of what we
are attempting to do to avoid any complications. Although we did not have any problems from parents we
were at times concerned that they might be upset by some of the programming^ want m reXut to
them to minimize any potential misunderstandings.

J To p l

Results:

The results were, in general, very positive. The feedback from the schools that fully participated was
uniformly excellent. However, not all schools elected to participate. The reluctance of the non-participants
J'as primarily due to time; they just didn't feel that they could "intrude" upon their schedules to P

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accommodate this comprehensive effort on our part. As this effort is on-going as we plan on future visits
and future broadcasts, we hope to utilize the positive feedback from the more participatory schools to "sell"
our program to the other schools. Although the effort takes substantial dme and energy on our part we

came away with an appreciation on how important it is to reach out to our schools and a conviction that the
investment was well worthwhile.

Contacts:

Authors: John Sanborn, Stacey Borasky, and Charles Frost

Social Work Professors

Social Work Department

Middle Tennessee State University

P.O. Box 139

Murfreesboro, TN 37132

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Web Site Enhancement of
Traditional Classroom Pedagogy

Timothy W. Hiles, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Art History
Department of Art
University of Tennessee

Abstract ,

Digital Technology in the Art History Classroom

The Art History Web Site

Creating the Site

Student Feedback

References

Contact

Abstract:

How does one make use of the remarkable technological opportunities available and yet maintain those
cherished traditional values inherent in the classroom setting? An intriguing solution has been to make
an Art History web site available to students that prepares them for active participation in the classroom.
Moving beyond a passive presentation of information, the site contains interactive reading assignments,
images previously shown only in the classroom, and various study aids. Students played an integral role
in the creation of the site, ensuring its practicality.

[Top]

Digital Technology in the Art History Classroom

Digital technology to enhance art history courses has always held intriguing possibilities. As one might
expect, art historians rely, perhaps more than any other discipline, on visual aids. Accepted practice has
been to dim the lights at the start of class and show slides of works of art throughout the lecture.
Although this has been proven as a highly effective method of presenting the material, particularly when
comparing and contrasting works is desired, it should come as no surprise that an investigation of digital
imagery has become a primary concern among slide librarians and art historians. Despite the obvious
advantages of minimal storage space and easy retrieval, however, projection of digital imagery does not
compare favorably to slide projection. Slides are more luminous, contain more detail, and the pixelation
of digital imagery is distracting. Because of the poor quality of projected digital images, we have
generally shied away from classroom use of this new technology. Yet, increasingly, there are programs
available that are so helpful in other areas, despite the poor visual quality, that they warrant use. For
example, the Vatican has produced a program that enables one to travel through the rooms of the Papal
Palace.Hi For the first time, students in Knoxville, Tennessee can stand in the virtual room of the Stanza
della Segnatura, turn around, and view the frescoes on four walls. They can also walk through the door
into the adjoining room and see those frescoes on the walls and ceiling. As you can see, however, there
are some difficulties with this program. The menu is quite distracting and the resolution is poor, making
moving through the rooms rather mechanical and jerky. Nevertheless, with this type of program students
can experience a truer sense of Renaissance frescoes and their placement in the rooms. It is not hard to
imagine future programs that will take us on a tour through the flowing rooms of a Frank Lloyd Wright

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and view the frescoes on four walls. They can also walk through the door into the adjoining room and see
those frescoes on the walls and ceiling. As you can see, however, there are some difficulties with this
program. The menu is quite distracting and the resolution is poor, making moving through the rooms rather
mechanical and jerky. Nevertheless, with this type of program students can experience a truer sense of
Renaissance frescoes and their placement in the rooms. It is not hard to imagine future programs that will
take us on a tour through the flowing rooms of a Frank Lloyd Wright house or the soaring cathedrals in
Europe. At the moment, however, the emerging technology has only slightly improved the plight of an art
historian showing reproductions of art work.

ITopl

The Art History Web Site

For this reason, we decided that perhaps the best use of current technology would take place outside of the
classroom, so a student could prepare for, and review, material presented in the lecture. Although art
historians show many images in the classroom setting (often times thirty or more slides each class),
students have little opportunity to see them beyond their presentation in the lecture. Placing slides on a
light table for students to view is impractical for forty students taking any one art history class. The images
are, of course, too small for several students to view at one time; and projecting single images does not
accommodate those who need to look at different slides. As a result, students have generally been held
accountable only for those limited works of art that are accessible to them through a reproduction in their
text.

We have resolved this problem in our History of Photography class by placing all the images shown in
class on a web site.^I Students need only click on the gallery and find a menu that contains the many
artists discussed in class. Each artist has a list of images under his or her name. With a click of the mouse,
the photograph can be brought up to a full screen complete with title and date. Should they need to review
a comparison that was made in class, they can bring a split screen up so that two images can be accessed
side by side.

Throughout the semester, reading assignments have traditionally been distributed with the intention that
they will be discussed in the following class. Placing those articles online has allowed us to contribute to
the depth of understanding expected of the student. The articles are often written by photographers whose
work can be accessed by clicking on their name, bringing you again to the gallery containing their work.
Specific images can be accessed throughout the article whenever they are mentioned, as can definitions for
the technical terms. At the end of each article are questions to help the student prepare for discussion in
class. These questions are broad in nature and allow students to interpret what they have read. The site also
contains a syllabus, reading list, and definition of terms.

Use]

Creating the Site

The construction of the site presented us with many challenges. I had never created a web site, or even
visited them very often, and my knowledge of the process, and the obstacles, was quite archaic. In fact,
most of my students had a better understanding of the web than I did and so I was led to them in my quest
O" r rudimentary knowledge. I quickly became aware that their insight would be essential to the success of

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the site. Under the guidance of our Visual Resources Specialist, Sandra Walker, I entrusted the design of
the site to the very student body that would use it. °

At the University of Tennessee we have a unique situation where our Graphic Design students undertake
professional assignments. The Art Department Design Center was developed to give students supervised
professional experience in design. Projects are presented to the class from the business community or from
within the university. The Design Center operates like a design firm. Although there is no charge for the
final product, students are requested to behave in a professional manner when associating with their
clients. I presented my project to the Design Center with the hope that these students, several of whom had
Luiii.ii my idaSd, would develop a user-fnendly site that was also helpful. The response was quite positive
and so I went about writing up a proposal that included the essential ideas I wanted to incorporate into the
site. Primary among these ideas was that the site make available for review all the images shown in class.
Initially, we considered posting the images week by week according to what had been presented in lectures.
After much discussion, however, we rejected this idea primarily because some members of the Design
Center committee suggested that this might discourage students from coming to class. In an admirably
frank way, they admitted that if they knew the images were available in a weekly package they would be
more likely to miss class, use someone else's notes, and try to match them to the images. Of course, this
can also be accomplished in the present gallery system; however, ease of accessibility, they felt, would
become an incentive to stay away from class.

Another obstacle that presented itself to us was that of labor. This became an especially acute problem

when we realized that it took approximately ten minutes to scan and adjust images for the site.^ The
time-consuming process of scanning over five hundred slides seemed prohibitive and likely to postpone the
project until such time was available. Once again, however, we turned to the student body for a solution.
Many students had expressed interest in working on the project because of the practical web experience
involved. The more complex work with HTML coding and links was undertaken by two Library Science
practicum students who had expressed a keen interest in distance learning. These students created much of
the layout for the pages as well as many of the links between pages. Each article was typed into the system
because we had not had much success with scanning the articles and then creating links to the images. Our
knowledge of HTML coding was limited so we used the extremely informative site at Case Western
Reserve University that explains, in layman's terms, how to utilize the coding.^

The cost of this venture was also a challenge for us. Our department, like most Art Departments, did not
have ample funding for technological innovation. Regardless, we were able to create a remarkable site with
limited resources. We used our Zenith PC (purchased by the department a few years ago to service all five

art historian's needs!) with Windows95 and Netscape 2.01.^ The graphics were created with Adobe and
WordPerfect software.^ Images were scanned with a Polaroid Slide Scanner and stored on an external Zip
disk.^I The site was then loaded onto the university UNIX mainframe, on personal space provided to
professors for their own web site, for use by those students in the class. ^

Hop]

Perhaps the most complex issue we struggled with was copyright. The legality of reproducing images and
articles on the web for educational purposes is, at the moment, unresolved. For years, professors have
made copies of articles and shown slides in a classroom under the assumption that, in a nonprofit
lucational setting, these practices fell under the "fair use" clause of the Copyright Act of 1976. This

http://www.in tsu.edu/-'itconf/proceed99/hiIes.htra

clause, however, was meant primarily for textual works and has little applicability to visual materials or to
digital reproduction of those materials. The ongoing debate may come to a satisfactory conclusion soon as
the Library of Congress concludes a six month study that was mandated by Congress through Section 403
of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act enacted October 28, 1998. The Library of Congress's
recommendations, which may include legislative changes, will be submitted to Congress no later than
April 28, 1999. r

As a part of this study, on Tuesday, January 26th, Virginia M.G. Hall, Senior Information Technology
Specialist for the Humanities at Johns Hopkins University and co-chair of the Visual Resources
Association Intellectual Property Rights Committee testified at the Library of Congress hearings as to the
insufficiency of the Copyright Act of 1976 in covering transmission of digital images. As she explained: at
that time "distance education was defined according to the technology of the time: primarily closed circuit
television broadcasts to overflow classrooms, with the requirement that such teaching technologies be

face-to-face or synchronous."^ Accessibility to a web site would seem to conflict with that definition.
New fair use guidelines should apply, she concluded, to new digital practices:

"In real-life digital practice, distance education is a term used broadly to include a range of instructional
concepts from courses taught completely on-line, with little or no true face-to-face contact, to selected
enhancement materials placed on a web site by a professor for students to view. Generally speaking, the
term distance education as applied to digital media should cover any course related material that is
intended to be accessed via computer.

Ms. Hall also brought to light an important aspect of the art historian's classroom that for years has
pertained to slide libraries. Namely, that the works of art we show in class are often of an esoteric nature,
little-known images which "typically have inconsequential commercial value and even less general market

interest and are therefore unlikely to be targeted for licensed distribution."^ She concluded that fair use
should not be restricted in any way for digital media. She did concede, however, that availability may be
limited to students registered at the institution and enrolled in the course; and that it is fair to require some

measure of security such as a PIN or password to course materials protected by copyright.^^ We
recognize the importance of complying with the spirit of the Copyright Act and have incorporated a
password system onto our site. This was a relatively easy adjustment and, in fact, the software, called

Codelink, was shareware available from Silk Webware.^ Because we wanted to keep our attractive
graphics and make the first page accessible, without a password, to all students who would like to preview
the syllabus and use the links to the Art Department, the images on the first page were either taken by our
Professors of Photography or are part of my own collection and thus copyright is not an issue.

Ms. Hall's effect on final legislation is yet to be determined; however, most academics would applaud her
clarification of the fair use issue and agree with her summation in which she quotes the Copyright Office's
General Guide to the Copyright Act of 1976:

". . . the primary purpose of copyright legislation is to foster creation and dissemination of intellectual
works for the public welfare. . . ."GAl

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The College Art Association has also filed comments with the Copyright Office. They have systematically
taken issue with some points of the 1976 Copyright Act. A crucial point for them is one that Ms. Hall had
also addressed: the fair use provision that considers "the amount and substantiality of the portion of a work

used in considering whether the use is fair."^^

Although this seems appropriate for literary works, it does not make sense when considering the study of
the visual arts. The art historian must have access to the entire work of art. All of us would agree that
showing only a portion of Michelangelo's David or Titian's Venus ofUrbino would not be very helpful. As
mentioned earlier, professors have been using slides for many years in the classroom. Digital images are
simply what the most recent technology has to offer and should be treated in the same manner as other fair
use material. Professors must be free to propagate knowledge using the best technology available to them
and non-profit educational institutions must be secure in their belief that they will not be sued if they
pursue the goals of their charter using the newest technology.

Indeed, the copyright issue has already curtailed the progress of education. The College Art Association
has explained that institutions everywhere have "fundamentally limited the quality and breadth of academic
programs for fear of lawsuits and, in some cases, have been prevented from embarking on digital

projects.

It should be stressed, once again, that commercial vendors are not a viable option because of the esoteric
nature and breadth of material that a professor might use in the classroom. Much of the material is simply
not available, and undoubtedly will never be available because of its unprofitable use. Should an institution
limit its curriculum according to the few options available in the commercial market place?

The conclusion of the College Art Association is, I believe, one that should guide the ongoing discussion
as to how to resolve the copyright issue:

"that the traditional classroom and the traditional relationship the student has with the learning process
should serve as the paradigm for the exploitation of new educational media and processes.

IlQEl

Student Feedback

Student feedback has been very positive and my initial misgivings about use of the site were allayed almost
immediately. To ease the transition into text and image online, I made available paper copies of the first
assigned article, suggesting that those who were hesitant to use the site could still read the material on a
hard copy. Only one student obtained the paper copy, and it was unnecessary to provide them again.

Shortly after the midterm, we polled the class to determine their use of the web site. The approximate
percentages of that poll are as follows:

Frequency of use

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1) 100% of those polled had used the site for study and review

2) 60% had used the site once a week

3) 10% had used it several times a week

4) 10% had used it before every class to prepare for class

5) 20% used it less than once a week

Accessing the site

1) 30% accessed the site at computers at the main university library

2) 40.5% accessed it from a computer lab on campus

3) 40.5% through a modem connection from a home computer or dorm room.

General response

1) 100% of those who responded felt that the web site helped them study for the class

2) 83% stated that they would be more likely to select a course that included similar web sites for study and
review

The project was a success for all concerned. Student response was extremely favorable and we were
encouraged to continue to put our art history courses online. This initial site was time-consuming and labor
intensive with much trial and error. (In fact, our Visual Resources Specialist is hoping I wait until she
retires before I pursue another course!) Everyone involved agrees, however, of the merit of the venture, and
result, and would like to see all of our art history courses online. Cost is no longer a prominent factor, now
that the software has been purchased, and consists mostly of labor and storage disks. The learning
experience of creating the site was invaluable. The student who created most of the graphics is now
gainfully employed in an organization that designs web sites, and one of our practicum students is now
working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art helping to digitize their images. We seem to have stumbled
across, for this brief shining moment, a win-win situation.

C CQ P.1

References

1. Raphael: An Artist for the Vatican. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1997. System requirements
include: MS DOS operating system version of Windows 3.1, 3.11, or 95; a multimedia PC or compatible
with a 486 DX 66 MHZ processor or higher (Pentium recommended); 8 MB of RAM (16 MB of RAM
recommended) 4 MB of available hard disk space; SVGA monitor (640x480, 32,000 colors or higher);
^ouble speed CD-ROM drive minimum (300 Kb/sec); windows compatible sound card;

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speakers/headphones; mouse.

2. http://web . utk.edu/ ~twh/photo .htm

3. Software provided with the Polaroid Sprintscan 35 LE previewed each slide to be scanned and then
scanned the image. We chose to scan at 72 dpi. The scanned images were saved as JPEG files and then
opened in Adobe Photoshop. For the black and white images, the color information was removed to make
the file smaller and the "auto function" was used to sharpen the image. Color photos were more time
consuming because of the color shifts that often occurred. In one instance, for example, a sepia toned
image took one half hour to complete. The final image was saved as a JPEG file. Then the file was copied
to the university web server site from a Zip disk using file transfer protocol (FTP).

4. Case Western Reserve University <http://www.cwru.edu/help/intro/introHTML/toc.html>

5. We used the Zenith, Z Station, multi-media PC (pentium) with a minimum of 32 MB of RAM.
Windows95 was used in conjunction with Netscape 2.01 (although we found that Netscape 4.0 is more
flexible and offers more features).

6. Adobe Photoshop was used to manipulate the images, and WordPerfect 5.2 was used for the text.

7. The Polaroid Sprintscan 35 LE was used because it was compatible with the plastic mounted slides of
our slide library. Other scanners we considered have difficulty with slides that are not paper mounted and
also do not open up if a slide becomes jammed.

8. The university campus is wired with the fiber optics ethemet cable system. It was possible to work on
the site from my phone modem at home; however, the process was much slower.

9. The text of this testimony was e-mailed to members of the Visual Resources Association, of which our
Visual Resources Specialist is a member. Testimony of the hearings are available at
< ■"http://lcweb.loc.gov/copvright/disted/>.

10. Ibid.

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid.

13. Codelink from Silk Webware is Java Shareware. The file size is 61. IK and it is available in version 4.1
at:

<http://www.download.eom/pc/software/0, 332, 0-48824-s, 1000. html?st.dl. redir.txt. tdtl>

14. Hall, op cit.

15. Comments of the College Art Association were submitted to the Library of Congress, Copyright Office
by Robert A. Baron, Kathleen R. Cohen, and Jeffrey P. Cunard. The text of these comments is available at
< ."http://www.pipeline.com/~rabaron/CIP/CAA-DxEd.htm>. The College Art Association is located at
275 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10001.

16. Ibid, p. 4.

Ill

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17. Ibid, p. 9.

Contact:

Timothy W. Hiles, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Art History
Department of Art
University of Tennessee
1715 Volunteer Blvd.

Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-2410

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What.H^pper),s After the Online Course Ends?

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What happens after the online course ends?

Online student performance in subsequent campus-based courses

Paula Szulc Dominguez, Ed.D.

Dennis R. Ridley, Ph.D.
Christopher Newport University

Introduction

Developing the Research Question

Methods and Findings

Conclusion

References

Contacts

Introduction

Christopher Newport University (CNU) has offered its students online courses since the early 1990s.

The online courses originated through the efforts of a single faculty member from one department who
used a bulletin board to support class discussions and assignments. Over the course of 18 months,
faculty members in other departments became attracted to the idea of teaching online and began offering
additional courses. In 1994, a cadre of online faculty members lobbied for and received funding from the
Virginia General Assembly to support a two-year pilot online program at the university.

To meet legislative funding requirements, CNU was required to provide evidence that the students
participating in online courses demonstrated learning outcomes equivalent to student learning that
occurred in traditional, campus-based courses. During the two-year pilot stage, CNU collected a variety
of qualitative and quantitative data to assess student learning outcomes. In 1996, CNU submitted a final
report to the General Assembly stating that, indeed, online students performed at least as well as students
in traditional courses, and that online instructors considered their courses to be at least as intellectually
rigorous as campus-based counterparts.

With the educational quality of its online courses documented, CNU began operating CNU Online, a
program independent of any particular departmental sponsorship, in 1996. Since 1996, CNU Online has
witnessed an increase each semester in the number of online enrollments and in the number of online
courses offered. At the time this paper was written— in the midst of the Spring 1999 semester— CNU
Online included 1063 enrollments in 52 courses. CNU Online also offers two complete degree programs,
a bachelor of science degree in Government and Public Administration, and a bachelor of arts degree in
Philosophy and Religious Studies.

[Topi

Developing the research question

Establishing that online education is as educationally sound as traditional courses is an important and
requisite step to creating a distance education program. But as a distance education program evolves and
as each semester brings a new wave of data into an institution, the kind of questions a university can
pose also changes. At CNU, we have noticed that many of our online students alternate between online
and traditional courses. That is, there is no distinct "online student" group at CNU. Instead, the great
majority of CNU's online students (88%) live within commuting distance to campus and combine online

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WhaLlisppen^ After the Online Course Ends?

and traditional courses during their college careers. Many of our online courses are 100- and 200-level
courses that act as prerequisites for more advanced study. Although some advanced courses are available
online, many are only offered in traditional instructional settings. Therefore, CNU houses a body of
students for whom the prerequisite course was taken online while the advanced course was taken on
campus. This situation allowed CNU to consider how well our online students perform in traditional
courses that build on information encountered in the online course. We wondered if online students
would be at a disadvantage in traditional courses, compared with classmates who had taken the
prerequisite through traditional means (for our purposes "traditional" forms of prerequisites included
CNU on-campus courses, courses transferred in from another college or a community college, or credit
given for performance on an examination). Our concern was that if the online students did not perform at
least as well as classmates who had taken traditional versions of the prerequisites, then two potentially
serious scenarios might exist. First, it might be that the online courses were not conveying the
information necessary for preparation for more advanced study, which could be remedied fairly easily by
changes in the course content. Alternatively, it might be that online students might be at a disadvantage
because of the format of the course itself. That is, perhaps the content of an online course does not have
"staying power" with students, and students are therefore not able to call upon this knowledge in
subsequent academic settings. This alternative would not bode well for the expansion of distance
education at CNU and, perhaps, elsewhere. If, however, online students did as well as their classmates
from traditional prerequisites, then the online program as a whole could rest assured that online students
were being prepared for advanced academic study. To shed light on this issue, we focused our attention
on the relationship between student performance in prerequisite courses (online versus traditional) and
advanced courses (traditional) at CNU, and relied on methods employed in previous studies of college
transfer (e.g., Quanty et al., 1998).

IlQEl

Methods and findings

A single question guided our study: Do online courses prepare students for advanced study at least as
well as traditionally accepted forms of prerequisites? We began by reviewing the enrollment records
from six departments at CNU that offer a majority of the lower level online courses. We examined a
total of nine courses offered between one and four times each, between the Fall 1994 and Spring 1998
semesters. We traced all the online students' course of study after their participation in the lower level
online course to see whether they went on to enroll in a traditional advanced course. Using this
approach, we located a total of 44 enrollments for whom the online course acted as a prerequisite for a
traditionally offered advanced course.

To determine whether the online courses had prepared these students as well as the traditional
prerequisite courses, we compared their final grades with the grades of their classmates in the advanced
course (Table 1). We operationalized student success as achieving a grade of a C or higher, and
compared the proportion of students who had received a C or higher through traditional and online
prerequisites. Using Fisher's Exact Test of significance, we found that there was no statistically
significant difference in the students' final grades (p = .19). Based on this finding, we concluded that the
online courses we examined prepared students for advanced study at least as well as the traditionally
accepted forms of prerequisites at CNU.

use!

Table 1 : Final grades of students in advanced courses who took the prerequisite either through

traditional or online means.

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What'^ffeppeiK After the Online Course Ends?

Advanced course grades

Prerequisite

A-C

D&F

% passing

Traditional

658

88.8

Online

' 40

90.8

Conclusion

When it comes to assessment, evaluation, and research, distance education programs typically focus on
student performance in the here-and-now of the distance education setting for a particular semester.
Investigators seldom consider how well distance education students perform on tests, exams, and
assignments that build on the knowledge the students gleaned through their non-traditional study. An
initial examination of the data collected at Christopher Newport University indicates that online students
take with them the information they obtained in their online study, and successfully apply it to
subsequent advanced courses to the same extent as students in traditional settings. Although our data are
few at this point— despite the hundreds of online enrollments CNU has hosted since the early 1990s, we
were only able to locate 44 cases that fell within the parameters defined by our research question— we are
optimistic that future research will continue to support the academic quality of our online courses. It is
our hope that if other institutions employ a similar strategy as they consider student performance, a more
elaborate dialogue on distance education can proceed.

[Top]

References

1. Quanty, M.B., Dixon, R.W., & Ridley, D. (1998). Community college strategies: A new paradigm for
evaluating transfer success. Assessment update, vol. 10, no. 2, March/ April.

Contacts:

Paula Szulc Dominguez, Ed.D.

Dennis R. Ridley, Ph.D.

Christopher Newport University
1 University Place
Newport News, VA 23606

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Establishing a Faculty Technology Center
*

http://www.mtsu.edu/-itconf/proceed99/VonHolzenl.htm

Establishing a Faculty Technology Center

Dr. Roger Von Holzen

Director— Center for Information Technology in Education
Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, MO

In the spring of 1998, Northwest Missouri State University established its Center for Information
Technology in Education (CITE). The focus of this presentation will be on the process involved in
staffing the. center, determining hardware and software needs, budgetary considerations, and other issues
. a college or university interested in establishing such a center may encounter. Key considerations related
to faculty and administration relations, training, and the production of technology-based learning
materials will also be discussed.

Establishing a Faculty Technology Center

Over the past two years, a growing panic seems to have set in among educational leaders at the college
and university level. Most of these leaders feel that their schools must embark as rapidly as possible into
the new frontier of high tech, web-related course delivery. The underlying basis for this panic is the fear
of losing on the field of competition for needed student enrollment figures. Unfortunately, soon after
charging into this new arena, many of the schools find that they lack the necessary infrastructure to
support the endeavor, particularly in the area of faculty support.

Starting in 1 987, Northwest Missouri State University began building ten years of extensive experience
with its campus-wide VAX computer system, which it called the Electronic Campus. The Electronic
Campus included terminals in every dormitory room and faculty office. Based on the knowledge it had
accumulated, Northwest proposed in 1996 that the university be designated as Missouri's center for the
testing and development of personal computer applications for the enhancement of learning. As part of
this Mission Enhancement plan to the state, Northwest indicated that a Center for Information
Technology in Education (CITE) would need to be established. The center would be used to provide the
necessary faculty support infrastructure to achieve the above stated goal and to increase Northwest’s
engagement and leadership in the application of information technology to learning. In the spring of
1 997, Northwest's Mission Enhancement proposal was accepted by the state legislature and funded to
the tune of $800,000.

While awaiting the selection of the first CITE director in 1997, 22 faculty members participated in a
series of summer course modularization projects under the auspices of the academic provost. The
purpose of these projects was to incorporate information technology into existing courses in such a
manner as to enable the course materials to be available to learners in modularized units that better
serviced their educational needs. As a director was finally appointed late in the spring of 1998, a second
group of faculty was provided summer stipends (at a cost of about $90,000) to again develop
modularized, technology-based course materials.

As described in its Mission Enhancement proposal, a major goal of CITE was to facilitate and enhance
the educational opportunities of students at Northwest by identifying and testing computer-based
learning packages already available on the market and to develop new ones where there were important
gaps. These packages were to be made available to both Northwest's own students and to learners
enrolled in programs in other Missouri institutions. But a more immediate aim soon captured the
exclusive focus of CITE.

Growing out of a series of discussions between Northwest president Dean Hubbard and Colorado
Electronic Community College's president Mary Beth Sussman, an articulation agreement was signed in

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the summer of 1998. Based on the associate degree in business provided entirely online by the Colorado
consortium, it was agreed that Northwest would begin the process of providing all of the necessary
courses online that would enable students with the Colorado associate degree to complete a bachelor's
degree in business management. Thus, in the summer and fall of 1998, the focus of CITE had to be
realigned toward assisting Northwest faculty in developing content-specific learning materials for
distribution through web-based courses.

All of this was taking place while the new director was settling in. Besides working with the faculty as
stated above, the director and the temporary assistant director (a faculty member on halftime release) had
to hire the staff (curriculum design specialist, computer specialist, and secretary), physically establish
the center in office space provided by the university library, and purchase needed hardware and
software. The purchases quickly surpassed the $60,000 mark. The items bought were based on hardware
and software platforms that were widely used on campus: PC computers, Office 97 and Toolbook II
Assistant and Instructor for the development of online course materials.

One of the first things the new faculty technology center had to do was to designate, after extensive
faculty and staff input, the major software packages the center would support both through purchases
and technical and training assistance. It was quickly found by the CITE staff that it would not be
financially feasible for the center to support the wide array of idiosyncratic software desires of the
campus faculty. This policy is especially important in the area of course development software, where an
extensive knowledge about a particular software package on the part of the staff is necessary in order to
fully utilize its properties.

As part of its Mission Enhancement money, CITE provides each Northwest faculty member with a
notebook computer on a two to three year rotation cycle, at a cost of approximately $250,000 per year.
The notebooks are distributed based on faculty needs and administrative targeting of academic areas that
require technological enhancement.

But beyond the expense associated with the notebook computers, the CITE office soon learned that a
policy had to be established as to the depth and breath of financial support it would provide to faculty for
the purchase of computer-related hardware, such as digital cameras and CD-ROM burners. The policy,
as currently implemented, calls for the center to make a reasonable effort to provide the hardware
requested by faculty on a short-term loan basis, with "ownership" of the hardware to remain with CITE.
This policy helps to minimize the needless duplication of seldom-used hardware and to maximize the
array of hardware available for the faculty to use.

As CITE was getting settled into place and the necessary policies codified, it rapidly became apparent
that the center did not have the level of staffing that was necessary to properly assist faculty in
transforming course materials to completely web-based online courses. Using some of the funds
available within the budget to support faculty stipends, the center decided that the hiring of student help
to assist the individual faculty members would be the most economical approach to the problem. Funds
were thereby transferred to the participating faculty members' department budgets to pay for the student
help, thus minimizing student-related paperwork for the CITE office. Student assistance was also
provided through the departments by means of student internships and independent study projects.

During the fall of 1998, while waiting for final negotiations to take place between Northwest and Real
Education (which is to provide the course management software and related hardware and technical
resources for the online business courses), CITE undertook the selection of Web Course in a Box as its
local online courses management software. The reason this package was selected was due to its minimal
learning curve and the fact that version 2.02 was free. It was through this software that four online
courses were hosted for the spring, 1999 semester: Introduction to Business Finance, Introduction to
Philosophy, Enjoyment of Music, and Peoples and Cultures (a cultural geography course). To provide a
stronger, more comprehensive, online testing and student tracking system, it was later decided to switch
the local course management software to Courselnfo by Blackboard, Inc. for the summer, 1999 online
courses. While this may seem a duplication of course management software packages (Real Education
vs. Courselnfo), it was decided that an inexpensive means had to be provided to faculty for them to
disseminate some online course materials to their students without incurring the high fees associated

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with the provision of such materials through the auspices of Real Education.

To aid in establishing strong ties with the faculty, a comprehensive survey of every faculty member was
undertaken. This provided the center with the opportunity to clearly explain to the faculty the role of
CITE, determine the technology needs of the faculty, and to establish a baseline measurement of the
faculty's technological skills. The information gleamed from the survey will be used to organize training
sessions covering the hardware and software needs of the faculty. Related to this is the center's extensive
involvement in the hosting of a technology conference at Northwest. The goal is to encourage a wide
range of faculty to participate in the conference.

As its first full year as a functional center comes to a close, the Center for Information Technology in
Education can look back at a long list of accomplishments. A key element in the success of the center
was the strong support provided by the administration in terms of both budget and status. The center
quickly became a critical component in several of the university-wide initiatives and in the continuing
effort on the part of the university to enhance the technological abilities of its faculty.

As development of course materials in association with faculty members continues, and as more courses
are offered on the web, the role of the center will become more central to the mission of the university. It
is in light of this role that the center must maintain strong ties to both the administration and the faculty
in order to further the goals of the university and to best serve the needs of the students of Northwest
Missouri State University.

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Web-based Tools for Instruction and Engineering Applications

http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/saad.htm

Faculty Collaboration on Multidisciplinary Web-Based Education

Authors:

Dr. Ashraf Saad, Information Engineering Technology
Dr. Vladimir L. Uskov, Information Engineering Technology
Associate Professor Kettil Cedercreutz, Mechanical Technology Department
Dr. Sam Geonetta, Humanities and Social Sciences Department
Professor Jack Spille, Chemical Technology Department
Professor Dick Abel, Professional Practice and Career Placement Department
QMI College of Applied Science

Abstract

Motivation

Interdepartmental Collaboration

Main Project Outcomes

Other Findings

Future Work

References

Contacts

Paper Abstract

Teaching, learning, and doing business online through the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) are
bound to change the structure of our traditional educational and business institutions. However, the
effects will be more greatly felt by those who are directly involved in education. This motivated six
professors of five different departments of the OMI College of Applied Science, University of
Cincinnati (UC), for the interdepartmental collaboration in enhancing the professional development of
OCAS faculty on WWW-based education. The paper describes in details the main outcome of the UC
Faculty Development Grant - i.e. OCAS faculty "brainware" on WWW-based education, which enabled
several OCAS professors to create WWW-based courseware in various technological areas.

[To pi

1. Motivation

The Internet is having a profound impact on the delivery of instruction and the means for conducting
business. Each day, millions of users harness its interconnectivity to access forums or databases, enroll
in online courses, and supply information online to clients, vendors, and staff. In increasing numbers,
organizations are implementing corporate-wide Web sites and Intranets. Intranets, which are
implemented via Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area networks (WAN), utilize many of the
same Internet services and features internally within the organization (and hence the name for this type
of networks) - and therefore more securely.

Whether over the Web or over an intranet, a variety of instructional tools are becoming commercially
available to help instructors in preparing for the delivery of courses online, either in support of distance
education goals or as complimentary to a traditional course offering. On the business side, collaboration
tools are being developed to enable engineers to cooperatively design a product over the Web, regardless
of their "physical" presence in the world. Web-based tools being developed for both areas of instruction
(teaching/leaming) and engineering (product development/project management) have one objective in

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available to help instructors in preparing for the delivery of courses online, either in support of distance
education goals or as complimentary to a traditional course offering. On the business side, collaboration
tools are being developed to enable engineers to cooperatively design a product over the Web, regardless
of their "physical" presence in the world. Web-based tools being developed for both areas of instruction
(teaching/leaming) and engineering (product development/project management) have one objective in
common: to provide sufficient features and software functions that would enable a group of individuals to
communicate online in pursuit of their common goal — either instruction or product development.

ITopl

2. Interdepartmental Collaboration

Project Team. The authors, faculty members in several departments of the 0M3 College of Applied Science
(OCAS) at University of Cincinnati (UC), started a project in 1998 as an interdepartmental collaboration to
investigate the use of Web-Based Instructional (WBI) tools at our college [1], The project team included
representatives from various areas such as Information Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering
Technology, Chemical Technology, Professional Practice and Career Placement, and Humanities and
Social Science, thereby providing an objective multi-disciplinary performance of the project and evaluation
of its results.

Goals. Two project goals were set since the beginning of our project:

a. As an interdepartmental and multi-disciplinary team, to form a kernel of instructors at OCAS who
acquired the know-how of Distance Education (DE), including Web-Based Education (WBE), and
WBI tools, and therefore ready to

b. develop a pool of faculty at OCAS and at UC on the use of WBI tools at WBE through a series of
workshops and training seminars.

Methods. The following set of activities were deemed necessary to achieve both goals:

1. individual faculty development on various WBI tools, DE and WBE-related aspects, such as
organizational models of DE systems, DE hardware, DE software, DE courseware, DE students, DE
teachers, DE facilitators and administrators, grants and funding in the DE area;

2. regular faculty interdepartmental group discussions on instructional technology and pedagogical
methodology of Web-Based Education, and demonstrations of WBI tools;

3. attending hands-on training and workshops/seminars on Web-Based Instructional tools, and

4. team-working, peer-to-peer mentoring system, and individual instruction and consulting with
participating OCAS faculty.

Faculty Development. As a result of this project each faculty - project participant, succeeded to:

a. Develop himself independently on various selected topics of DE, WBE and WBI tools, and make a
minimum of one presentation at an OCAS faculty meeting, thereby providing an interdepartmental
faculty development and collaboration.

b. Attend a minimum of one DE or WBE-related national training seminar and a minimum one
top-ranked national/intemational related conference during the project period. Make a presentation
about this seminar and conference for the OCAS faculty.

c. Attend meetings twice a month to discuss findings and generate ideas/solutions on various
topics/problems of WBE. In particular: pedagogical methodology, instructional technology,

"student- teacher" and "student-student" communications in virtual classrooms, Web page and WBE
courseware design and development, various WBI tools, suitable forms of video-, audio-, and

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data-conferencing via the Internet, as well as other'topics
d. Submit at least one proposal to present a project-related paper at a professional conference in 1999

°" e project - rela,ed t0 a scholar b journal for possible publication in '

f. Ac q u “ necessary hardware, software, and textbooks on DE, WBE, and WBI tools, as well as books
on different educational technologies and pedagogical aspects of DE and WBE.

II PPl

3. Main Project Outcomes

a°s U pecro e f # DE TOe’C'SS'T" °" pr ° jeCt team conducKd research t0 id <="«y various

aspects of DE WBE, and DE systems worldwide. Particularly, the list of research topics included but was

limited tol) the examples of well-known international and national (USA) DE systems, as well as

sma er local DE systems, 2) models of DE systems (international, national (USA), local), 3) generations of

re a e tec no ogy and popular DE media /support technologies, 4) organizational aspects of DE 5)

DE degree programs DE credit/noncredit courses, 6) DE teachers, and DE facilitators, 7) DE classrooms

Tn rH 1 ? ’ 8 D f E targCted ^ dent b0dy “ i ’ e - DE students ’ 9) DE tuition fee, 10) DE administrators,

11) list of features of common DE system (international, national (USA), and local), 12) costs of DE

hardw^courseware, and software, 13) financial support/initial investments to DE systems, 14) DE
students, DE teachers, andDE facilitators, and 15) "No Significant Phenomenon" of DE education
Numerous DE systems worldwide have been analyzed such as:

1) mil-known international DE systems: National Technological University (USA) lhttp://www nm edu ]

(cl™da)[hn W H Slty ,1 Um i tedKi ^ 8d ° m (UK) ^P ://ww ^ open.ac.uk], British Columbia DE System
(Canada) [ htt p://www.etc.bc.ca ], The Open University of The Netherlands (The Netherlands)

at m://www.ouh.nl ], The University of South Africa - UNISA (South Africa) rhtto://www,,ni sa a .

KnZ mTT gen rU 1 ^ UStrali , a ( ^ UStralia) ^ :/ /www.ola.edu.an], Open Learning Institute of Hong
in.em ^ DE^.ems e " a " Za * DiS,a " Cia (Spain) and other

2) Well-known national DE systems: The Pennsylvania State University (USA) [httt>V/www cde nsn erini
The Indiana State University [http://www.ind ner] The INTEC College (South Africa) * JL “‘ ’
[hL gV/www.intec.edi.za ] Monash University (Australia) fh_tt P ://www.monash edn au] institute Nacional

n?ff Ed // CaCa °if DlStanCia (BraZl ) rhttp://www.ibase.org.br/~inldl Horizons University (France)
[http://www.h-universitv.com] and other national DE systems.

DE ayatems: Bellevue Community College (CC) rhttp://online.bcc.utn ed„l Clackamas CC
hl ip. /dl.Qlackamas.ccnrns] , Laratiue County CC rhttp://www.lcc whom eH„l Cerro Coso CC
fpftp.//www.cexc.ca nsj , Cosumnes River College fhttp://crc.losnos cc.ca.us/onlinel Contact South - a
Consorttum of Ontano Colleges (Canada) [http://www.contac, south oral and other local DE Kms A

i rary of on-line courses in the information Technology area can also be found at the University of
Cincinnati rhttp://gartner.uc.edn/partner] y U1

The detailed results of our investigation on DE systems are presented in [2],

Qutcome # 2 - Faculty "brainware" on WBI tools. We conducted research to identify the features and

WBF ’cn‘lric,l Van H 0US WI “ Ca " enaWe a " instructor 10 desi S"- dCT elop, maintain and manage
WBE curricula and courses. Vendors were contacted for demo versions of products Members of the

project team met regularly to discuss various WBE-related issues and,' specifically advantages

disadvantages, features, and problems encountered during pilot course creation. More than twenty

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available WBE tools were selected for analysis on the first stage of research. They were ToolBook

^ anULto rhy/www.asymetrix coml. AuthorWare' fh to ://www—

riT^ P '^ SSWare ' UC ' edu -*’ Convene f http://www.convene.coml Courselnfo

[ ntt ]3://www J 3 lackboard.net/co 11 rseinfo ], Director [http://www.macromedia.com] FirstClass Collaborative
H i| SS '°° m [ ^ ://www educario ™m J, Front Page'98 rhttp.V/www.microsoft com] w a ko.

[] ~ , P ,. wwan * on com ], Learning Space [htt p://www.lotus.com/leamingspa ce]. MentorWare
[ 7777 ^ 7, W ^ W .mentorware.com ], TopClass rhUp.V/www.wbtsvste ms.comindex.htmll . Virtual-U

^ bCTrhft' // CS? ^ V,1Weh ] 1 ’ wu C ° UrSe in 2 B ° X rhttP://www.madd,ick.com/wcbinfo.wchht m n
WebCT [M p.V/www. webct.com ], Webmentor Enterprise [ht mi^avilar.adasoft.coml . as well a. MnrtJ
Connect, Allaire Forum, Team Wave, WebBoard, QuestionMark, and PiaceWare.

Features of WBI tools, usually, fall under three categories [3], specifically, 1) WBI tools for WBE
c urs ware esign and development, 2) WBI tools for WBE courseware management and 3) WBI tools for
"student-student" and "student(s)-teacher" communications via the Internet.

Course design tools include: 1) course templates to maintain consistency to the course format and provide
the instructor with he tool to easily publish a course on the Web by focusing on the content that will be
entered in the template, without having to worry about learning HTML, 2) search tools to provide a topic-

w ,h se „ ?T e material ’ and 3; ^‘-related “nks: to refer students to other web sites
With information pertaining to the course, without having to exit the course site.

Course management tools include 1) on-line assessment tools such as quiz/test generation, administration

courfrmarnn 7 ^, 5 T" \ ^ qUeSti ° nS ’ “ d 2j student trackin S tools to track student access of’

course matenal as well as student progress on assignments and tests.

Course communication/collaboration tools [4] include 1) synchronous communication - support for live
interaction such as chat rooms, shared whiteboards, audio- and video- conferencing, and 2) asynchronous
communication such as built-in email, file sharing, threaded discussions, bulletin boards, and workgroups.

As a resuit of our research the variety of available WBE tools was reduced to several applications for
twocategwtas a " d '"‘ depth conslderatlon and utilization by OCAS faculty. These applications fall under

L |S

ClassWare, Blackboard, WebCT, and Asymetrix ToolBook II Assistant.

2. WBI tools for instructors with strong programming skills and strong background in computer
science: WebCT, Asymetrix ToolBook H Librarian, and Macromedia Director.

The second group of applications offers more advanced tools/features for the creation of Web-based
courses at the expense of learning how to utilize those tools/features.

[To p]

4. Other findings

While our project has primarily focused on DE, WBE and WBI tools, our investigation had led us to
conclude that features of WBI tools can be readily deployed in a collaborative multidisciplinary
engineering environment. Nowadays, many engineering companies cannot have the experts needed for the
development of a given product under the same roof. For instance, a number of engineering dSines
come together in order to develop and produce an electromechanical device (e.g. a^ellula/telephone)

0 Ch dlglta eIectronics - mechanical engineering, production engineering, and even environmental ’

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engineering - to decide on which environmentally-friendly materials can be used for the product Experts
in each field can utilize an on-line collaboration tool to interact while designing the product, therefore
breaking the barrier of distance between them. It is therefore extremely beneficial for the students of our
College to learn how to deploy and use WBI tools, since such skills will be highly valued by their future
employers. Going forward, our objective is therefore to first get students familiar with these tools through
the learning experience of a course that utilizes them. The next step would be to require them to master one
of these tools, augment it, and then deploy it as a collaboration tool in an engineering setting for
cooperative multidisciplinary problem-solving. &

ITopl

5. Future Work

Future activities of the project team in 1999-2000 deal with a design and development of pilot WBE
courseware in various technological areas that are appropriate for the College of Applied Science
University of Cincinnati.

Uopl

6. References

1. V. Uskov, A. Saad, S. Geonetta, J. Spille, K. Cedercreutz, and D. Abel (1998). Interdepartmental
Collaboration In Enhancing the Professional Development of College of

Applied Science Faculty on WWW-based Education: Preparation for Teaching in the 21st

Century", Faculty Development Council, University of Cincinnati, March 1998.

2. V. Uskov (1998). Systems of Distance Education: Design, Development, and Grants/Funding

Available. Proceedings of the 15 th IFIP World Computer Congress, Vienna, Austria.

3. S. Gray (1998). Web-based Instructional Tools. Syllabus, September 1998.

4. S. Gray (1999). Collaboration Tools. Syllabus, January 1999.

IlQEl

Contacts:

Dr. Ashraf Saad, Information Engineering Technology

Dr. Vladimir L. Uskov, Information Engineering Technology

Associate Professor Kettil Cedercreutz, Mechanical Technology Department

Dr. Sam Geonetta, Humanities and Social Sciences Department

Professor Jack Spille, Chemical Technology Department

Professor Dick Abel, Professional Practice and Career Placement Department

All authors are members of
OMI College of Applied Science

University of Cincinnati
2220 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45206

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PortraiU)f the Early- Adopter: Survey of

Portrait of the Early- Adopter: Survey of
Instructors of WWW Courses, Spring 1998

Carol W. Wilson, Instructor
Computer Science Department
Western Kentucky University

Abstract: A portrait of the early-adopter of WWW courses is painted in the results of a survey of the 71
instructors who had a WWW course listed on the Southern Regional Electronic Campus (SREC) site
during the first semester of its operation, Spring 1998. Data about their perceptions, practices, concerns,
and the institutional norms under which they work were collected. The data collected from the survey
yielded a prioritized list of faculty concerns and needs. Institutions must develop the infrastructure to
provide: technical training, technical support, administrative support, time for faculty to develop and
teach these courses, a revised faculty reward system, and reliable computer hardware. The delivery of
distance education on the WWW has great potential that can not be realized until the needs and concerns
of the faculty that will develop the courses are met.

Because instructional delivery on the Internet is such a new application, there is no existing body of
research available. For the most part, journal articles address broad policy issues or are anecdotal,
describing the implementation of a particular course. The few surveys that have been done are mainly
concerned with quantifying the number of courses and the number of students. Dillon and Walsh(1992)
conducted an analysis of 255 articles from five major distance education journals. Of these articles, only
twenty-four dealt with faculty issues in distance education. Because a committed and well- trained
faculty is the key to the successful delivery of distance education, there is a need for basic research in
faculty issues related to the delivery of distance education on the Internet.

Rodgers (1983) developed broad categories to classify technology adoptors: innovators, early adoptors,
early majority, late majority, and laggards. The early adoptors have a high degree of opinion leadership
and the organization looks to them for cues, information, and advice for adopting new technologies
(Rodgers, 1983). This valuable knowledge was captured by surveying a group of early adoptors who
developed and delivered a course on the WWW to learn from their experiences and identify their needs
and concerns.. Data about their perceptions, practices, concerns, and the institutional norms under which
they work were collected.

The sample for the study was limited to the instructors of the 77 WWW courses listed on the Southern
Regional Electronic Campus (SREC) site for the Spring 1998 semester. This was the first semester of
operation for the SREC. The instructors' names and mailing addresses were obtained by following links
from the SREC site back to the offering institutions. The 77 listed courses were being taught by 71
different instructors. Surveys were mailed to these instructors. Thirty six (50.7%) responses were
received, but five courses were canceled or not offered during Spring 1998, leaving 31 (43.7%) usable
surveys.

The respondents formed a cross-section of postsecondary faculty. Their teaching fields were from
various disciplines: 26% social science, 26% humanities, 35% scientific/technical, and 13% business.
They also taught in a variety of types of institutions: 7% large universities, 58% regional universities,
32% community colleges or technical schools, and 3% correspondence studies.

The instructors surveyed represent an experienced, teaching faculty. They averaged 16.4 years of
teaching experience with a range of 1 to 36 years. Sixteen of the 17 instructors, who were currently

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taught in a variety of types of institutions: 7% large universities, 58% regional universities, 32%
community colleges or technical schools, and 3% correspondence studies.

The instructors surveyed represent an experienced, teaching faculty. They averaged 16.4 years of teaching
experience with a range of 1 to 36 years. Sixteen of the 17 instructors, who were currently teaching in a
tenure-track position, had already earned tenure. Their typical workload was broken down as follows:
teaching 63%, research 8%, public service 11%, and other 18%. The "other" category was mostly
administrative duties.

Chi-square tests were made to determine if there was a difference in instructors' concerns based on the
discipline (humanity, social science, science/tech, or business) or type of postsecondary institution (large
university, regional university, community college or technical school, or correspondence studies). Faculty
concerns about web-based distance education were universal. The chi-square tests indicated that almost all
differences were not statistically significant. The following table ranks the instructors' concerns in
descending order.

Table 1

Concerns Ranked in Descending Order

(Measured on a 5 pt. Likert Scale 1 = Minor Concern 5 = Major Concern)

Mean

Sd. Dev

% (Choosing 4 or 5)

Sufficient time to develop and maintain course
! material

4.133 :

1.074

68%

Technical support

3.710 ]

1.371

65%

Administrative support

3.613 !

1.383

48%

Sufficient time to interact with students

3.355 |

1.330

45%

Technical training

3.194 j

1.352

39%

Student familiarity with computers

3.194

1.108

39%

Equipment problems

3.097 |

1.274

45%

Academic honesty

2.968 :

1.378

32%

Necessary equipment available in faculty
offices

2.903 j

1.535

32%

Student access to computers

2.867 j

1.224

16%

Web course design

2.839 j

1.241

36%

Student assessment/grading

2.733 |

1.230

29%

; Intellectual property rights

2.700 j

1.489

32%

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Sufficient Time to Develop and Maintain Course Material. As seen in Table 1, the instructors' number one
concern was the necessary time to develop and maintain their courses. Sixty-eight percent of the teachers
rated this a major concern. The respondents were critically aware of this problem because 81% of them
personally developed at least 75% of their courses. A science/technology instructor observed, "It takes a lot
of time and effort initially. Also faculty need proper training in online development (curriculum
conversion)." A business instructor commented, "Need financial support and release time. Very time
intensive,"

The reported length of time required to develop a course was difficult to quantify. The amount of time that
developers reported was in different units of measurement and some represented full-time effort and others
part-time effort. Seven instructors reported their effort in hours of full-time work. The development time
ranged from 48 to 300+ hours with a mean of 152 hours. Four instructors reported the time in weeks, with
a range of 5 to 6 weeks and a mean of 5.8 weeks. Fifteen instructors reported the time in months of
part-time effort. The time ranged from 3 to 18 months with a mean of 6.6 months. Two instructors
expressed the development time as "A lot!" and "More than I got paid for." No matter how it was
measured, the development time was substantial.

Institutions have recognized the burden of course development for the WWW. Fifty-eight percent of the
instructors surveyed received release time or financial incentive for developing the course. The most
common incentive was release time. Nine (29%) instructors received a one- course load reduction while
developing the course. Nine (29%) instructors received financial compensation ranging from $1,500 to
$1 1,000, with a mean of approximately $3,600. .

Few rewards exist for the time consuming task of maintaining the course. Only four instructors reported
receiving any compensation. One received a one-time-only one-course load reduction, one was
"discussing" the issue, and two, who were paid on a correspondence course model, received a small
amount per student.

Eleven (35%) of the instructors reported receiving additional help or incentives for teaching the course.

One was assigned a graduate assistant. Two received a one-course load reduction. Two were paid a lump
sum, $2,500 and $3,500, for teaching the course. Six were paid per student enrolled or lesson graded.

Technical Support/Technical Training. Technical support and technical training ranked among the top five
concerns. 65% of the instructors rated technical support a major problem despite the fact that 67% of the
instructors reported having a department on campus to assist in the technical development of a web course.
Only two instructors commented that their support department was "excellent" or would help with "any
need". The following is a typical comment: "Lack of technical support staff. I am responsible for all
maintenance."

There is a problem matching faculty needs with technical support services. Why? This is an area that
requires further study. The instructors were aware that technical support services existed but they were not
taking advantage of the services, had difficulty accessing the services, or the services were inadequate.

Technical training was also reported to be inadequate. Sixty-one percent of the instructors surveyed
received no training in web-course development and only four instructors, out of the 12 who had received
any training, reported that the training was adequate. A social science instructor commented, "[I attended]
conference sessions and workshops [and did a] tremendous amount of reading. Didn't "receive" training -
got it myself."

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Administrative Support. Administrative support ranked third as a major concern. Administrative support
encompasses such issues as the institutional climate for distance education, and promotion/tenure. The
SREC WWW distance education courses were being taught by curriculum pioneers. Forty-four percent of
the courses were taught for the first time in Spring 1998 and 84% of the courses were taught three or fewer
times. Only two instructors reported that they felt administrative pressure to develop web courses. The
spirit of the pioneering instructor was expressed in the following comment: "[I] decided to join the
computer age & enhance [my] skills vs. going for early retirement or being left behind."

But not all comments were positive. The administration has expressed its commitment to distance
education, but often the supporting institutional infrastructure has not yet been created. A regional
university instructor complained, "The institutional climate is good. The department climate stinks. This
university has made a commitment to distance education, but most of my colleagues are resisting. I am a
renegade!" A community college instructor commented, "There are a lot of unanswered questions about
web-based courses at our school. I did the course because I am interested in it - not because of financial
support or administrative pressure."

Concerns about capping course enrollment and compensation for teaching large classes were often
expressed. The following comments were from instructors at regional universities:

• Concern - allowing too many to enroll. Administrative folk want to enroll large number[s] in web
course.

• Some administrators see only the potential cost savings, not the opportunity to do more and better
teaching.

Faculty members generally support the concept of using technology to improve instruction, but using
technology to reduce costs is a volatile political concern. They argue that reducing costs with the aid of
technology "translates into reducing the number of faculty members and increasing student-faculty ratios"
(DeSieno, p. 2). Teaching is not a mechanical process that can be delivered without human interaction.

However, evidence of large enrollments was not supported by the data gathered. The class sizes ranged
from 2 - 150. The median class size was 21 and only one course enrolled more than 30 students.

Forty-eight percent of the instructors reported that developing and teaching a WWW course did not count
toward promotion or tenure and an additional 26% reported that they did not know if it counted. There can
be little incentive to develop a WWW course if it does not count in faculty productivity.

Nowhere are the challenges more pivotal than in the area of institutional support for faculty. Faculty
members and administrators must work together in identifying and resolving the issues that inhibit
systematic use of distance education in meeting academic goals.

Sufficient Time to Interact with Students. Sufficient time to interact with students was ranked as a major
concern by 45% of the instructors surveyed. This issue is closely related to the changing role of the
instructor in distance education. The teacher becomes a mentor rather than a sage and directs student
learning. This requires frequent communication with the students. The most common communication
mediums cited in the survey were: e-mail, fax, listserv, bulletin board, chat room, phone, and postal
service. The following comment emphasizes the time requirements of teaching on-line:

• With being on-line, I have to keep constant contact with the class to make sure that they are on
schedule. Some of them are doing well, others are not due to the lack of responsibility on their part.
Grading is taking a great deal of effort since it is done on computer.

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Portrait of the Early-Adopter: Survey of

Student Familiarity with Computers/Equipment Problems. These are inter-related concerns that are also
institutional problems. For a web based distance education program to be successful the institution must
provide a reliable computer network with convenient and timely remote access. The students must also be
provided with training in basic computer literacy and have a resource to contact when there are technical
problems. One instructor commented, "Our institution is having problems ... the computer system is not
100% reliable for an on-line course to be fully successful."

The instructor has no direct control over the reliability of the hardware, but an unreliable computer system
can adversely affect student satisfaction with the course. Because faculty- teaching evaluations are
dependent on student satisfaction, the instructor is ultimately held responsible for the unreliable system.

Conclusions . In the pilot study the survey instrument successfully quantified the needs and concerns of the
pioneering SREC instructors who developed and taught a distance education course on the WWW.
Institutions must develop the infrastructure to provide: technical training, technical support, administrative
support, time for faculty to develop and teach these courses, a revised faculty reward system, and reliable
computer hardware. Faculty concerns about web-based distance education were universal and not
significantly different based on the discipline (humanity, social science, science/tech, or business) or type
of postsecondary institution (large university, regional university, community college or technical school,
or correspondence studies).

One of the respondents commented on the status of web-based distance education: "Widespread
understanding of the potential is yet to materialize. There is considerable fear of the unknown." The
delivery of distance education on the WWW has great potential that can not be realized until the needs and
concerns of the faculty that will develop the courses are meet.

References

DeSieno, R. (1995). Netlaw: the faculty and digital technology. Educom Review. 30 (4). 1-3.

Dillon, C. L., & Walsh, S. M. (1992). Faculty: the neglected resource in distance education. The American
Journal of Distance education. 6 (3), 5-21.

Distance Education and Training Council. (1996). "Distance Education survey, 1996: A report on Course
structure and educational practices in distance education and training council member institutions". 43
pages. ED407562

Elrod, G. F. & Kelley, V. C. (1998). Maybe the emperor is naked: concerns on the brave new world of
distance education. Mid-South Instructional Technology Conference. April 5-7, 1998, Murfreesboro, TN.

Fagan, P. J. (1997). Assessment of distance education implementation in Iowa: Concerns and indicators of
success. In N. J. Maushak (Ed.), Encyclopedia of distance education research in Iowa (2nd ed.) (pp.

23-28). Ames: Iowa Distance Education Alliance.

Gabany, S. G. (1996). Putting a class up on the web. [Online], 7 pages. Available:
http://www.ind.nct/fdpapers/#table [1997, Feb. 2],

Moore, S. (1997). The role of the teacher in distance education: The teacher perspective. Proceedings of
the Annual International Conference of the Chair Academy (6th, Reno, NV, February 12-15, 1997).
ED407022.

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http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/wilson.htm

National Center for Educational Statistics. (1997). Distance education in higher education institutions.
[Online], 33 pages. Available: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/distance/index.html [1998, Jan. 29].

Peraya, D. (1994). Distance education and the WWW. [Online], 8 pages. Available:
http://tecfa.unige.ch/edu-comp/edu-ws94/contrib/peraya.fm.html [1998, Feb. 7].

Rodgers, E. M. (1983). Diffusions of Innovations (3 rd ed.). New York: The Free Press.

Sherron, T. S. (1998). In support of distance learning. Syllabus 11 (7). 44-47.

Sherry, L. (1996). Issues in distance learning. [Online], 21 pages. Available:
http://www.cudenver.edu/public/education/edschool/issues.html [1997, June 16].

SREB. (1997). Survey report of SREB state regulations as they apply to distance learning. [Online], 12
pages. Available: http://www.srec.sreb.org/student/srecdocs/survey/dl_survey.html [1998, July, 15].

SREB. (1998). Dramatic expansions are announced for Southern Regional Electronic Campus. [Online], 2
pages. Available: http://www.sreb. org/scripts/news/newsl.asp?Code=1018 [1998, July 15].

SREC. (1997). Southern Regional Electronic Campus created by Southern Regional Education Board
provides 15-state electronic marketplace for students. [Online], 4 pages. Available:
http://www.srec.sreb.org/student/srecdocs/pressrelease/PressRelease.html [1998, July, 15].

Contact:

Carol W. Wilson, Instructor
Computer Science Department
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101
carol.wilson@wku.edu

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Taking It Online: A Bootstraps Approach

Ms. Ginger Sabine, Department Chair, Computer Information Systems, Northwestern Technical Institute
Dr. Daryl Gilley, Vice President for Instruction, Northwestern Technical Institute

Abstract
Introduction
Planning Phase
Design Phase

The Production/Trial Phase
The Evaluation Phase
The Implementation Phase
Appendix A
Bibliography
Contacts

Abstract: Describes the process of creating an online course using locally produced lessons,
supplemental text, threaded discussion groups, online examinations, and student access to a transparent
third party URL. The Microsoft Office User Specialist Certificate takes advantage of transparent access
to a third party software vendor to provide software demonstrations for online students. The presentation
will present an overview of the development process form conception to delivery and will include an
online demonstration of the course.

[To pi

Taking It Online: A Bootstraps Approach

Introduction

In 1454 Johann Gutenberg printed what is widely considered to be the first book using movable type.
The Gutenberg Bible, printed at Mainz, Germany, had 42 lines per page. This event precipitated an
enormous publishing explosion allowing information to be distributed to the masses. A similar
information explosion is happening today via the World Wide Web and Internet. Oddly enough we are
suffering some of the same problems that the publishing industry experienced during its formative years.
It took a number of years for example for things we take for granted today to become standardized.
Practices such as page numbering, including a table of contents in the document, creating an index, and
including title pages were all left to the publisher’s discretion. Today those involved in publishing on the
web find themselves in a similar situation. There is precious little in the way of standardization
regarding material prepared for delivery on the web. Materials prepared for instructional purposes are
not exempt from this lack of standardization either. However, this problem is being resolved much more
quickly today than it was in Gutenberg’s time. There is already much more standardization with regard
to online publishing than there was just two years ago. It still seems to be the publisher’s decision,
however. In academic circles this responsibility falls by default to the college or university or maybe
even a department in the university.

In November 1 997, with the support of the administration in the form of resources and time, several
members of the faculty of Northwestern Technical Institute made a conscious decision and commitment
to develop courses of study for delivery over the World Wide Web. However, even with significant
preplanning, to paraphrase another group of early explorers, "we were blindly going where no one had
gone before." Choosing to create an online course with little or no previous experience posed a daunting
challenge for the team investigating what we then called, alternative instructional delivery. At the outset
the Northwestern team consisted of 10 members. Today three of the original team members have

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preplanning, to paraphrase another group of early explorers, "we were blindly going where no one had
gone before." Choosing to create an online course with little or no previous experience posed a daunting
challenge for the team investigating what we then called, alternative instructional delivery. At the outset
the Northwestern team consisted of 10 members. Today three of the original team members have persisted
and have courses currently on the web. During that same period of time, the college also became a
founding member of the Georgia Virtual Technical Institute, a consortium of institutions offering web
based courses, but that is another story.

This paper provides an overview of one instructor’s journey to the WEB. Taking a course online requires a
significant expenditure of effort from several sources; the faculty member designing the course, the
technical support staff who create and manage the network, and the administration who support the project
with the allowance of time and resources.

Faculty training was an important issue early on. Even though the developer, Ms. Ginger Sabine, was a
computer information science instructor, creating a course for the web was a new and often frustrating
experience. The learning curve included developing a mastery of new software, working through
instructional strategy issues, many of which were discovered as a part of the instructional design process;
and discovering new ways to demonstrate skills to a remote audience. In hindsight and in the best of all
possible worlds, additional time and training in the use of software products would have been very
beneficial to all involved. In fact, to ensure success and minimize attrition early education and training is
essential.

What we will describe in this paper is the route taken by Ms. Sabine at Northwestern from concept to
product. We will make every effort to point out failures or what we would do differently and likewise will
describe the "good" decisions that were made.

The first attempt at going online consisted of the following stages:

I. The Planning Phase

II. The Design Phase

m. The Production/Trial Phase

IV. The Evaluation Phase

V. The Implementation Phase

I Top]

Planning Phase

In the planning phase, Ms. Sabine as a member of a design team of faculty and staff, set about the task of
creating a framework around which web-based courses could be developed. Team members involved in the
design process identified the following considerations to help guide the project:

• Alternative delivery courses should provide for asynchronous instructional delivery.

• Alternative delivery courses should be available on demand

• Alternative delivery courses should include e-mail in the communication protocol

• Alternative delivery courses should provide for the participation in labs from remote sites.

• Alternative delivery courses should allow for simulation.

• Alternative delivery courses should include all aspects of the course of study or supplements to the
course of study that are made available to the student in a traditional class.

In addition to the considerations listed above, the design team agreed upon the following design decisions

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This was based upon a review of the available literature on the design of web based classes.

1 . Each online course would contain the same level of academic rigor as a traditional course.

2. A common format-i.e., "look and feel"- would be developed and used by all developers

3. A common software application would be chosen and used by all developers.

4. Course development would be modular.

5. Each course would be offered online to an in house class in a pilot phase before publishing the
course to the web.

6. Each online course would contain the same or at least very similar learning activities.

7. t he syllabus format would be as similar to the traditional course as possible. (See syllabus format for
web classes in Appendix A)

Hop]

Design Phase

The course developed by Sabine was an introductory course to the Windows operating system, the first
course developed for the Microsoft Office User Specialist program, one of two programs Northwestern
offers in partnership with Microsoft. As is typical of most introductory computer courses taught in the
traditional manner, this course consisted of four major components: lecture, practice labs, assignments, and
exams.

Web-based courses, it was learned, are very much a sum of many parts. Of these parts there are at least two
organizational decisions that a developer must make when creating a course for the web. One decision
deals with the treatment of educational outcomes or the organization of competencies that the student will
be required to learn or master. The second decision revolves around the creation of the various course
components such as units of study, learning resources, simulations, production labs, assessment, etc. (See
figure A.)

Figure A

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Instructor: ^ls; -G. •: Sabin*.

Fhpne. (705-764 -37 1 4 E-mail: gsabhe@a<lnnn 1. \valker.tec ga.us '

Credit ILs.: 3

Course Description

Provides studen: with the interface concepts o: Microsoft Windows
software- jind the opportiinly to dmrelop settwarf: appltmhr.n skill? n*
wide range of business s:tuatipr.s.-

Sabine chose to deal with the course competency areas in the form of instructional modules. The
competencies were the same as those taught in the traditional class. Modules were arranged to match the
academic calendar-that is, 10 weeks. Each module consisted of a self-contained instructional package
including goals of the module, specific learning objectives, various types of learning resources and
assessment. By design, students were forced to satisfactorily complete a module before moving on to the
next. Course components included in the Sabine design framework are listed below.

The components of this course differed from those of other developers but each developer did adhere to a
mutually agreed upon course template, course design format, and page format. Typically, however all
initial web courses developed consisted of units of study or modules, both on-line and off-line resources
earning activities, and examinations. The specific components of this course are described below.

Home - This button brings you back to this page.

Syllabus - This page contains a copy of the course syllabus.

• Modules - This is the backbone of the course. CIS 155 is broken down into 10 modules each
containing a number of objectives. The student must successfully complete one module to progress
to the next. At the end of each objective, a button exists which will link the student to the next
objective. If at any time the students becomes lost, they can click the Module button on the side of
every page and it will bring them back to the beginning. Upon completion of each module the
student will be required to complete a test. Students who do not successfully complete the test may
trace back through the module until they are able to successfully complete that module's test.
Assignments - This page contains a condensed list of all assignments in this course.

Tutorial - This page explains how to log-on to the tutorial software.

•r i?

best copy available

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• Glossary - This page contains the glossary search engine. This glossary will search every page for
instances of words typed in the text box. The glossary will also display the words of the glossary by
first letter of the word. The student chooses the letter that the word starts with, and the glossary will
link to the appropriate page.

• Discussion - This course component includes a discussion group where students can post articles
about problems they encounter or tips and resources that other class members might want to know
about.

Hop]

The Production Phase

After the project design was agreed upon, the instructor began the process of recreating a course of study
that could be delivered, with assessment of competencies mastered over the WEB. Faculty were provided
orientation and instruction in the use of web publishing software and course management software. Their
task then was to repackage the content typically presented in a traditional format so that it would fit into
this new delivery vehicle. A number of problems surfaced, which were quickly followed by unique and
innovative solutions.

The problem of how to demonstrate a procedure, skill, or technique over the web was an issue that had to
be contended with early on. In the process of developing a course in the Windows operating system, an
arrangement was made with a third party vendor so that NTI students could have transparent access to that
vendor’s URL. This particular vendor sold demonstrations of popular software applications such as
Windows, Word, Visual Basic, etc. By linking to the vendor’s URL, the demonstrations could be streamed
into the student’s computer on demand. The use of third party vendor software was important in getting
this particular course online in record time. If the faculty member had been required to develop the
demonstrations, the course would have been at least six months longer in development.

The problem of simulating classroom interaction was addressed with the use of threaded discussion groups,
where one question or answer to an e-mail inquiry may prompt other questions and answers from both
students and instructor. Threaded discussion groups compare favorably to in-class discussions and may
even be superior in that student questions are well thought out before being submitted.

Communication with students should have been simple. E-mail is immediate and reliable. However,
complicated messages are sometimes difficult to articulate and to understand using e-mail. It requires
someone who is an accomplished writer and technically competent in the subject area. The absence of the
human element in communication was a very real detriment to effective instruction, especially when
responding to student questions. E-mail communication then was incomplete at best and impossibly
frustrating at worst. There were many times when the instructor and the student resorted to using the
telephone.

Testing and administrative issues were some of the more difficult problems to resolve. In this course the
instructor chose to manage the assessment portion of the course personally rather than depend upon
available course management software. Tests and examinations were created and graded by the instructor.
Students were notified by email when tests would be available and the constraints under which they would
be administered-i.e. time, allowable resources, type of test, etc. All tests were timed. Students could take
the test at any time during a given calendar period, but once started the test had to be completed in a set
amount of time. The completed test also had to be submitted within a set period of time from when it was
begun. This part of the course, therefore, is not asynchronous, but rather governed by scheduled testing
events.

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Other faculty at Northwestern are dealing with the testing issue in several ways. Some require the test be
taken and submitted in a specific time frame. Others design their tests so that the student may have access
to materials with relaxed time constraints. Still others require the student to take the test in the presence of
a proctor such as at a library , school, or college. Some of the faculty rely on course management software
that regulates access to the tests which are always online. This software also grades and records test grades
automatically. Initially in Sabine’s course all test questions were multiple choice and short answer. After
evaluating the testing component, it was determined that test questions that required the student to think
through a problem related to the learning experiences of the course and respond in an open ended format
nnght be a better assessment technique. The feeling is that a time constrained test using thought questions
that consist of content or learning experience dependent questions or issues is a better measure of
knowledge and skill attainment than the multiple choice test, which is at a greater risk of being
compromised by the less than honest student. ^

Hop]

The Trial Phase:

One quarter prior to going online, the course was evaluated with a group of students in a traditional
classroom situation. Students were required to move through the course as if they were at a distant
location. As they encountered problems, difficulties, or even minor inconveniences, they alerted the
instructional designer, who noted the problem. Many times the students could suggest remedies for the
problem, while at other times it was "back to the drawing board." In addition, the instructor met with the
class as a whole on a weekly basis for debriefing sessions.

IXppI

Evaluation Phase:

The evaluation phase occurred at the conclusion of the pilot class when a decision was made as to whether
the course was ready for immediate publication to the web or needed significant revision. This decision
rested with the course designer and the academic dean. All courses were subject to a review team with
editorial responsibility.

IIppl

Implementation:

After one quarter online we have learned some lessons. What follows is a brief list of lessons learned.

1. Any assumption you have about a student’s ability to understand hardware and software
requirements for an online course are probably overly optimistic.

2. Student motivation is no mean issue. A mature, self-directed, student will be much more successful
than will one who needs constant or even intermittent attention.

3. Every online student should have a password that is required to get into the course.

4. Software packages that propose to solve all of your web publishing problems probably won’t. There
is no way to get around learning html.

5. Intuitiveness is in the eye of the beholder. What is perfectly clear to the developer is perfectly
opaque to the student.

6. Excitement will sustain the developer early on, drudgery will rear its ugly head after about three
modules have been developed.

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7. Student misunderstandings take on geometric proportions and multiply like rabbits when using

threaded discussion groups. °

8. The developer’s learning curve is marked by mistakes. Trial and error are standard fare.

9. The maximum number of students a teacher can effectively deal with the first time a class is offered
is probably about 15.

10. Attrition is going to be high, about 40%, unless stringent admission standards are applied.

11. Assuming an online student is relatively computer literate may be a dubious assumption.

12. Time and effort required to manage an online class of 15 students is about the same as that required
to manage a traditional 5 credit hour class.

13. Development of an online class will take approximately 6 months if a faculty member is released Vi
time.

14. Developing acceptable assessment methods will be one of the major obstacles to be overcome.

15. The course will be ever evolving due to changes the instructor wants to make, Changes in
technology, and unforeseen problems that must be addressed.

16. Be wary of tying the online course too closely with a particular text. If the text changes or you decide
to change texts, then the entire online course has to be revised. On the other hand the online course
should be referenced closely with a text and not redundant.

17. At our institution the copyright belongs to the college. Establish this or some other arrangement
early.

18. Good Luck!

hq p i

APPENDIX A

Syllabus Format for WEB Based Courses
Northwestern Technical Institute
Course Name and Number

Credit Hours: Instructor Name

Lecture Hours: Office Location

Lab Hours: Office Hours

Telephone: Email:

Catalog course description:

Various disclaimer’s if required:

Entry level requirements if needed:

System Requirements to take full advantage of learning materials:
D -erequisites:

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bookstore^ 1 20(1 other reference material including non-text based materials, including url of online

Recommended supplemental materials including non text-based materials
Content by week, by topic, by unit, etc. ( called modules )

Course competencies (called goals)

Instructional Objectives ( including knowledge skills) (called objectives )

Learning Activities including on-line activities, text based activities, and CD-based activities
Course requirements - assignments, term papers, projects, etc. with due dates
Practice examinations - (called self-assessment)

Evaluation procedure (called assessment)

Work ethic requirement
Grading scale

Policies and procedures for course operation
Policy on academic dishonesty

Communication with instructor and bulletin board policies and procedures

Module Format
Web-Based Class

Credit Hours:
Lecture Hours:

Lab Hours:
Email

Course Name and Number
Instructor Name

Office Location

Office Hours

Telephone:

Module Name and or Number
Goal:

Objectives:

Learning Activities:

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Readings, Text
Readings, Links
Pronunciation Activities
Written Assignments
Self Assessment:

Assessment:

Communication With Instructor:

Ho El

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1996 ASTD Multimedia Authoring Software Directory. (1996, May). Training & Development. 50 £5j
43-46.

Armstrong, G. (1996). One Approach to Motivating Faculty to Use Multimedia. T.H.E. Journal. 23 (101
69-71.

0 Bisman, J. (1996, April). Occasional Papers in Open and Distance Learning, Number 19.

Bitter, G. G. , & Pryor, B. W. (1996, April). Toward Guidelines for Research & Development
of Interactive Multimedia: The Arizona State University TMMUIV Project.

Blumhardt, J. H., & Cross, L. R. (1996, January). Making the Jump(s) into Cyberspace: A Discussion on

Distance Learning Paradigm Shifts Required for the 21 st Century. ED. Education at a Distance. 10 m.
13-21.

Burgen, A. (Ed.). (1996). Goals and Purposes of Higher Education in the 21 st Century. Higher Education
Policy Series 32.

Burke, J. J. (1996). Using E-Mail to Teach: Expanding the Reach of BI. Research Strategies. 14 f IV 36-43.

Caudron, S. (1996, May). Wake Up to New Learning Technologies. Training & Development. 50 (5Y,

30-35.

Chance, E. W. (1996). Electronic Field Trips: Using Technology to Enhance Classroom Instruction. Rural
Educator. 19 (3). 34-35.

Eggers, R. M., & McGonigle, D. (1996). Internet-Distributed College Courses: Instructional Design Issues

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Freud, R. (1996, June). Community Colleges and the Virtual Community.

Furst-Bowe, J. (Ed.). (1996). Competencies Needed to Design and Deliver Training Using Instructional
Technology.

Gant, L. P. (1996, February). Lessons in Developing Distance Learning. Performance and Instruction 35
(2L 22-25. —

Garland, V. E., & Loranger, A. (1996). The Medium and the Message: Interactive Television and Distance
Education Programs for Adult Learners. Journal of Educational Technology. 24 nv 249-57.

Hall, B. (1996, March 11 ). Lessons in Corporate Training: Multimedia’s Big Pavoff. NewMedia 6 (4)
40-45. ’

Hardin, P. C., & Reis, J. (1997, February). Interactive Multimedia Software Design: Concepts, Process,
and Evaluation. Health Education & Behavior. 24 (TL 35 - 53 .

Harlan, M. R. (1996). Corporate Distance Learning Systems for Employee Education. Journal of
Instruction Delivery Systems. 10 H). 14-16.

Hart, R. A., & Parker, R. (1996, February 16). Technological Challenges: Designing Large Compressed
Video and Multimedia Classrooms.

Information for Web-Based Training Developers. (1996, May). Training & Develonment. 50 (5} 54 .

Kerka, S. (1996). Distance Learning, the Internet, and the World Wide Web. ERIC Digest.

Krile, T., Juell, P„ & Vetter, R. (1996, May). Pioneering on the New Frontiers of Education. ComDuter 29
£5L 112-114. . * 1 —

Kruse, K, & Feldstein, M. (1997, March). Exploring Multimedia Internet-Based Training. Training &
Development. 51 (3\ 55-56.

Lee, S. H. (1996). Criteria for Evaluating and Selecting Multimedia Software for Instruction.

Ljutic, A. (1996, May). Learning to Telecommunicate — Distance Learning Projects in Less-Developed
Countries. Learning with Technology, 23 fftV 65-67.

Mende, R. (1996, May 28). Building Global Communities through the Internet.

Misanchuk, E. R„ & Schwier, R. A. (1996, February). Benefits and Pitfalls of Using HTML as a CD-ROM
Development Tool.

Moller, L„ & Draper, D. (1996). Examining the Viability of Distance Education as an Instructional
Approach. Journal of Continuing Higher Education. 44 HV 12-21.

Moore, M. G. (Ed.). (1996). Tips for the Manager Setting Up a Distance Education Program. American
Journal of Distance Education. 10 m, 1-5

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Musial, G. G., & Kampmueller, W. (1996). Two-Way Video Distance Education: Ten Misconceptions
about Teaching and Learning via Interactive Television. Action in Teacher Education. 17 (41. 28-36.

Nicholls, P. (1997, April). Becoming a Multimedia Author: Courses and Programs for Multimedia. Emedia
Professional. 10 (41. 107-1 12.

Nicholson, A. Y. W. & Ngai, J. Y. K. (1996). Converting a Traditional Multimedia Kit into an Interactive
Video CD-ROM. Journal of Educational Technology Systems. 23 f31. 235 — 48.

Randall, B. (1996). A Marketing Approach to Distance Learning Technology: A Statewide Survey.
Community College Review. 23 (4). 15-32.

Richart, V. M. (1996, April). Considerations for the Development of a Higher Education Agenda for the
‘90s and Beyond.

Ross, J. A. (1996, April). Computer Communication Skills and Participation in a Computer-Medicated
Conferencing Course.

Schrum, L. (1996, March). Teaching at a Distance: Strategies for Successful Planning and Development.
Learning and Leading with Technology. 23 (6L 30-33.

Sener, J. (1996, April). Delivering an A. S. Engineering Degree Program through Home Study Distance
Education.

Shenitt, C. (1996, January). A Fundamental Problem with Distance Programs in Higher Education.

Terrell, S. (1996, March). From Teaching to Learning: Transition in Distance Education.

Tulloch, J. (1996, February). Seven Principles for Good Practice in Distance Learning.

Williams, H. M. (1996, January). Curriculum Conceptions of Open Learning: Theory, Intention and
Student Experience in the Australian Open Learning Initiative.

Contacts:

Ms. Ginger Sabine, Department Chair, Computer Information Systems, Northwestern Technical Institute,
Rock Spring, GA 30739, email: gsabine@northwestem.tec.ga.us

Dr. Daryl Gilley, Vice President for Instruction, Northwestern Technical Institute, Rock Spring, GA 30739,
email: dgillev@northwestem.tec.ga.us

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TECHNOLOGY FOR PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS.

Karen J. Thoms

Professor of Learning Resources and Technology Services Resources

St. Cloud University

Abstract

Technology for Preservice Teachers

Milken/ISTE Study

St. Cloud State University Model

Latest Experiment

Conclusion

References

Contact

Abstract

Today's education major, early childhood, K-12, or special education, needs to be comfortable with
technology in the classroom. What do preservice teachers need to know about technology? LOTS!
Explore the COE media and materials course, newly revised to reflect content that teachers need to know
BEFORE stepping into a classroom.

[Topi

Technology for Preservice Teachers

Today's classroom is very different from onelO-15 years ago. Technology not only makes classroom
instruction easier, it can also make it more difficult. This presentation will explore the course content of
a media and materials course which is required of education majors, regardless of their discipline and
grade range. Teachers in Minnesota are experiencing the Profiles of Learning and new Graduation
Standards; technology is at the heart and soul, and preservice teachers must be able to help their students
meet these goals and standards. Inquiry and technology are at the foundation. Explore the range of
technology (and non-technology) course content.

A recent U. S. Department of Education study reported that relatively few teachers (20%) felt well
prepared to integrate educational technology into classroom instruction (1999). The Milken Exchange on
Education Technology commissioned the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to
survey teacher-preparation institutions. The 416 respondents, representing approximately 90,000
graduates per year, reported on the extent to which future teachers were being exposed to technology in
their classes, field experience and curriculum materials. The report finds that teacher-training programs,
in general, do not provide future teachers with the kinds of experiences necessary to prepare them to use
technology effectively in their classrooms. The federal government has projected a need for 2.2 million
new teachers over the next decade. These teachers must meet the challenge head on! This report is one
which every College of Education dean must read and every College of Education faculty member must
acknowledge. Truly the time to examine each of our teacher-preparation programs is now to insure our
students graduate from our programs being able to practice their skills and incorporate the best
technology available.

[To pi

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from our programs being able to practice their skills and incorporate the best technology available.

IlQEl

Milken/ISTE Study

An analysis of survey data indicated:

• About a third of the respondents felt their programs are limited by deficiencies in their IT
(instructional technology) facilities;

• Faculty IT skills tend to be comparable to the IT skills of students they teach;

• Distance education and computer- assisted instruction currently affect only a small proportion of
students in teacher training institutions;

• Most teacher-preparation programs do not have a written, funded, regularly-updated technology
plan;

• Most institutions report that IT is available in the K-12 classrooms where student teachers get their
field experience; most student teachers, however, do not use technology during field experience and
do not work with master teachers and supervisors who can advise them on IT use.

Additional findings of the study indicated:

• Formal stand-alone IT coursework does not correlate well with technology skills and the ability to
integrate IT into teaching;

• To increase the technology proficiency of new teachers in K-12 classrooms, training institutions
should increase the level of technology integration in their own academic programs.

• Where and how education students acquire their basic technology skills.

Studies have been conducted and reports have been written which indicate that information technology is
at the foundation of education, addressing effective educational uses of IT for PreK-12 (Sandholtz et al.,
1997; Wenglinsky, 1998). Teachers report a need for more time and training in both technology skills and
technology-based pedagogy (Office of Technology Assessment, 1995), which indicates they lack
confidence in their IT skills. It would be a logical conclusion, therefore, that instructional technology
would be a hearty component of preservice teacher programs. During the past 15 years, the amount of IT in
PreK-12 education has grown rapidly. For example, one estimate indicates Internet access is in about 85
percent of schools and 44 percent of classrooms (Jerald, 1998). Willis and Mehlinger (1996) summarized
the situation in just a few sentences:

• "Most preservice teachers know very little about effective use of technology in education and leaders
believe there is a pressing need to increase substantially the amount and quality of instruction
teachers receive about technology. . . . The conclusion is that teacher education ... is not preparing
educators to work in a technology-enriched classroom"(p. 978).

This presentation/paper is not designed to summarize the Milken/ISTE Report, but rather to show how St.
Cloud State University's College of Education is addressing the need for its graduates to be IT-prepared to
meet the demands and expectations of today's classroom.

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All College of Education majors must complete the media/materials course, a stand-alone IT course (IM
421: Media, Materials, and Methods of Instruction), where students are taught more than just
computer-literacy skills. They are taught how to incorporate technology in the classroom by seeing their
instructors talk it and walk it by including IT in their classrooms. These faculty members serve as role
models for the preservice teachers.

Currently the IM 421 course is under revision. When the institution converted from a quarter to semester
system Fall 1998, the 4-credit course was initially planned to be a straight conversion to a 3-credit course.
As with many program changes, there were negotiations which were necessary and modifications necessary
to accommodate the needs of departments as well as maintain a 120-credit (semester) minimum for
graduation.

"In the good old days" students would take the PPST and enroll in the media/materials course. As recently
as 1993 students approximately 50% of the students in the class had little or no competency with
computers and a number of those students had no desire to learn about them! As the years have progressed,
more students have a working knowledge of computers (e-mail, WWW and limited word processing).
Computer literacy and information literacy are usually not well-honed skills brought into this course,
although there will always be the 5-10% who are extremely knowledgeable of computers. Even when they
are "computer literate" many lack an understanding of how to incorporate technology into the classroom
and do it effectively throughout the course. Currently, most students enter the course with their own e-mail
account, limited to extensive skills using the WWW for basic searches, and basic word processing skills).

In this 3-credit course instructors were expected to not only teach the technology but also incorporate it
into classroom applications. Because of those negotiations referred to previously, the course was reduced
to 2 credits, with a transitional required co-requisite of a 1 -credit applications course (the total being 3
credits). This 2/1 combination will be soon replaced with the original 2-credit media/materials course, with
the course content to remain approximately the same. One solution for this dilemma has been to have a
pre-requisite computer literacy/applications proficiency requirement, which can be demonstrated by
enrolling in certain lower-division courses or being able to pass a competency exam. By requiring the
computer proficiency as a prerequisite, classroom time is not taken teaching computer and other
instructional technology basics, but rather having students do the applications associated with their
individual disciplines/grade ranges.

Competencies as a prerequisite. First, it is important to understand the competencies which students are
expected to have prior to enrolling in this required media/materials course. The competencies include:

• OS skills: start-up/shutdowns/restarts; desktops (icons, menus, windows management); file handling;
disk/volume issues; documents and applications; networking operations.

• Application skills/productivity: general applications (save, file types, editing setting/changing
margins; printers/printing options; integration of applications) and within applications (word
processing, graphical software, internet, and database and spreadsheet software).

One specific course (IM 260: Information Technologies) has been modified to give students the
"proficiency" they need to walk into the media/materials course prepared to create materials to be used
with instructional technology as well as use the technology. Students spend time with different aspects of
distance education, including designing Web pages and searching the Internet for resources. This course is
a general education course, not directed toward education but rather general applications. They learn the
basics, but the classroom adaptation is left to the faculty in the media/materials course. Another course
within the College of Education (IM 245: Microcomputers in Classrooms and Media Centers) provides
0 ™ost of these same proficiencies but is designed for COE majors, and it is a survey of available hardware

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software, and related instructional materials for use by classroom teachers.

IM 421: Media^Materials, and Methods of Instruction. This course addresses the theory and techniques of
selection, evaluation, and use of print and non-print materials, such as library materials, display materials,
slides, motion pictures, videotapes, sound recordings, microcomputer programs, the internet, and
telecommunications (including interactive television). This media/materials course includes a wide variety
of requirements as well as a number of options and alternatives for students, based on their preferences as
well as discipline and grade differences.

The course content for IM 421: Media, Materials, and Methods of Instruction include the following:

• World Wide Web - researching educational materials on the WWW and Internet;

• Bibliographic instruction - learning to find resource materials located both in-house within the SCSU
library and through other sources (ILL, electronic full-text documents, etc.)

• Trends in educational/instructional technology, based on Donald Ely's book.

• Communications tools -writing letters and memos (as applicable), interviewing to obtain
information, incorporating critical questioning in the classroom, creating and giving effective
presentations, writing instructions/directions, and designing a survey/questionnaire instrument;

• Media and instruction - understanding the role(s) of media in education and being aware of the
domains of learning, and designing media and materials to support these domains;

• Systematic planning for media use - writing behavioral objectives, establishing the behavioral
objective as a guide in selection media and materials, and designing and developing learning
activities which follow the ASSURE Model.

• Visual principles and design - defining visual literacy, applying principles and elements of design to
visual materials, and preparing visuals according font and size guidelines;

• Nonprojected visuals - discussing the types of nonprojected visuals which may be used in the
classroom, determining the most appropriate non-projected visuals to be used based on needs and
objectives, displaying visuals appropriately, creating bulletin boards, and planning and making
arrangements for a fieldtrip;

• Projected visuals - comparing the advantages/disadvantages of types of projected visuals and
preparing projected visuals (transparencies, slides);

• Audio media - differentiating between audio formats used in education and determining when audio
media can be used to enhance classroom activities;

• Motion media - identifying types and formats of motion media, preparing instructional
media/materials that include motion, and understanding the special attributes of motion media;

• Computers in education - identifying the roles of computers in education, demonstrating proficiency
in using computers in the educational setting, understanding the role(s) of computers in education,
selecting computer software and hardware based on availability and needs, evaluating computer
software and hardware, and gaining hands-on experience with CD-ROMs, interactive programs, etc.;

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• Multimedia systems - comparing multimedia systems to determine the most appropriate to meet
objectives, identifying equipment necessary to use the multimedia systems, and discussing the
advantages/disadvantages of each type of multimedia system;

• Computer networks - understanding the characteristics of computer networks (LAN, WAN, Internet,
intranet, WWW, etc.), searching the WWW and Internet for resources and information, knowing the
basics of creating a Web site/page, and discussing access and supervision students should have for
using the Internet;

• Distance education - discussing the educational and instructional uses of distance
leaming/telecommunications, identifying the formats for distance education (ITV, Internet, WWW,
etc.), comparing and contrasting the role of the instruction in each telecommunications system,
determining media and materials to be used for each format, and setting up an ergonomically sound
distance education classroom;

• Process technologies, simulations, games, etc. - understanding how process technologies help
demonstrate effective learning and discussing the similarities/differences between games and
simulations;

• Looking ahead - understanding the trends in media and technology, knowing what the "school of the
future" will very like look like, using hardware and software which has been designed for the next
century, and discussing some professional organizations in educational technology;

• Looking back - identifying earlier media/material formats, using the "older" formats when
appropriate, and selecting appropriate mediums to be used in the classroom;

• Equipment and setups - practicing safety when working with different types of media, moving
equipment safely, and identifying unsafe working conditions involving media and equipment;

• Copyright guidelines - applying copyright laws and guidelines when creating media and materials,
incorporating use of media/materials in the classroom according to copyright guidelines,
understanding the implications of the Fair Use Doctrine, knowing the fines and penalties associated
with copyright infringement, and explaining to students the purpose and need for copyright laws and
guidelines.

Required assignments for this course include the following:

E-mail account - students must have an active e-mail account. Today, most students have either an
SCSU account or one through an Internet provider. Purpose: students must be able to contact me
(and visa versa) and it will be a means for submitting one of their assignments;

Memo - following memo format, students are to indicate to me what their major project will be.
Purposes of assignment: have students write a memo using the appropriate format, determine the
topic of their course-long project, and identify the culminating project (selected from a number of
options, print or nonprint);

E-mail assignment - e-mail message summarizing WWW search of educational materials. Purposes
of assignment: get the students using e-mail (it’s still new to some of them), have them search out
educational materials (lesson plans, organizations, papers, etc.) found on the WWW, and summarize
the contents of the Web search;

Letter - following the letter format, students are to draft a letter to a publisher requesting permission
to duplicate and distribute a copy of a journal article to each of the students in their class. Purposes
of the assignment: have students write a letter following appropriate format style, identify a journal

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article which might be distributed to students, and emphasize the importance of securing permission
from a publisher to duplicate and distribute this material (according to copyright guidelines);

• Paper/project outline - following the ASSURE Model, students will create an outline identifying
media, materials, and methods of instruction they will use during a lesson or unit of instruction.
Purposes of assignment: encourage (force) them to think about the media/materials they will use and
how they help students meet the objectives of the unit as well as encourage effective design and
planning of a unit;

• Mediagraphy - using the SCSU library and its outreach capabilities, students will create a
mediagraphy (also known as a mediography or bibliography) of resource materials which they might
use during this course-long project on which they are working. Purposes: have students learn and use
the various search strategies for finding information pertinent to their topic and give students an
opportunity to structure their findings in a final format -a mediagraphy which could be used to
support academic writing;

• Videotape - in a group of 3-6, students will design, create, and videotape an educational learning
activity. They select the topic, the student population, and the place the videotaping will take place.
Purposes of assignment: teach students how to plan a videotape (storyboarding), encourage them to
experiment with a new educational/instructional medium, and create a finished product that might be
used in one of their classrooms;

• Handout - following visual literacy and instructional design guidelines, students will create a
handout relevant to their culminating project. Purposes of assignment: get students thinking in terms
of computer- generated materials, allow students to create well-planned and high quality materials;

• Transparency - following visual literacy and instructional design guidelines, students will create a
multi-color transparency with one graphic, multiple colors of text, and multi font sizes. Purposes of
assignment: have students apply appropriate guidelines for creating a transparency, show students
there is much more in the way of transparencies that those created with a photocopier or thermofax
machine, and encourage creativity in the use of graphics;

• Major project - following visual literacy and instructional design guidelines appropriate to their
project, students will create a project (mobile, game, computer-delivered presentation, videotape,
audiotape, bulletin board, etc.), write a grammatically correct "blue print" following the ASSURE
outline which they created for a prior assignment, and give an oral presentation to the class on the
process/procedures they followed in the creation of this project. Purposes of assignment: get students
to think of media/material options which they have, encourage student creativity in designing
media/materials, reinforce the "writing across the curriculum" concept of well-prepared written
materials, document their use of a media/material which they created, and support the need for oral
communication skills in the classroom;

• In addition to the above assignments, other activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• practicing with the ITV (interactive television system);

• designing a Web page;

• previewing and evaluating several CD-ROM or interactive computer disks;

• setting up and using "older" equipment such as filmstrips, film projectors, slide projectors, etc.

The above four options are largely elective based on the individual instructor's preference, strengths, and
time commitment.

fTop]

Latest Experiment

TECHNOLOGY FOR PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS

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Recently this College of Education Teacher Development department asked whether the Information
Media department would consider offering the media/materials course as part of the elementary education
block. Prior to this time, students enrolled in the media/materials course which was most convenient for
them. This meant that early childhood, elementary, secondary, special education, music, and physical
education majors were all together in a course. It was decided to "block" some sections of this course with
elementary education courses. The intent was to have the media/materials course and one of the blocked
courses paired so that there was integration of technology in the other course. In order for this concept to
work, the need was there for the instructors of both classes to coordinate some of their activities and
content. Fall 1998 was the first time this paired concept was used, and (as with many ideas in education)
there were some "bugs" and glitches that have yet to be worked out. If this is to continue, there will be
continued need for a cooperative work arrangement between the two instructors of the courses so that
integration and continuity can and will take place. There were the other normal problems associated with
initiating a new concept, but those will be worked out with both time and modification to the courses
involved.

Conclusion

This is definitely the time to evaluate and make changes to our preservice teacher education curriculum in
order to equip our graduates with the skills they need for today's classroom. As more schools become
connected with the Internet and have WWW access, there is greater potential for student researcher.
Technology is now advanced so that media centers and classrooms are equipped with more than an
overhead projector and a filmstrip projector. Whether we are referring to CD-ROMs, videodisk players, or
computers, we are looking to a classroom which is vastly different than the ones 10-15 years ago. Will new
teachers be prepared to teach in a digital age- they certainly should be able to if Colleges of Education
make the commitment to insure a curriculum which is rich in technology introductions, technology
applications, and technology integrations.

[Topi

References

JeraC. D. (1998, October). "By the Numbers."

Jerald, C.D. (1998, October). "By the Numbers." Education Week Technology Counts '98, pp. 102-103.

Office of Technology Assessment, U. S. Congress. (1995). Teachers and Technology: Making the
Connection [online]. Available: http.VAvww. wws.princeton.edu/~ota/diskl/1995/9541.html .

Sandholz, J. H., Ringstaff, C., & Dwyer, D. C. (1997). Teaching with Technology: Creating
Student-Centered Classrooms. New York: Teachers College Press.

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Teacher Quality: A Report on the
Preparation and Qualifications of Public School Teachers, January 1999.

Wenglinsky, J. (1998). Does it Compute? The Relationship Between Educational Technology and Student
Achievement in Mathematics. Princeton, New Jersey: Policy Information Center, Educational Testing
Service.

Willis, J. W. & Mehlinger, H. D. (1996). Information Technology and Teacher Education in J. Sikula, T. J.
Buttery, & E. Guyton (eds.) Handbook of Research on Teacher Education (2nd ed.). New York: Simon &
Schuster Macmillan, pp. 978-1029.

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gjjf- Contact:
■ ! -'f

Karen J. Thoms

Professor of Learning Resources and Technology Services Resources
Technology Services
CH #102

St. Cloud State University
Fourth Avenue South.

Cloud, Minnesota 56301-4498
(320) 255-4774
(320) 255-4778 (fax)

KThoms@StCloudState.edu

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Through A Looking Glass Dimly

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Through A Looking Glass Dimly
The Implications of the Globalization of Higher Education

Jim Formosa

Abstract

Introduction

"Isms" That Afflict Higher Education
The Future Role of The Academy
Changing the Role of Governing Boards

The Necessity For Change On The Part Of Institutional Administration

Faculty Roles In The Future

The Learning Organization

Summary and Conclusion

References

Abstract:

Higher education is truly on the verge of globalization. Competition will come from traditional as well
as non-traditional providers. For institutions to grow in the future significant change to the status quo
. will be required. Many lessons can be learned from how industry is coping with the global economy.

This paper explores required changes beginning with the academy itself and working down through the
organization to faculty. Topics covered include the desirability of building learning organizations, the
necessity for leadership, funding, reward structures, the new role of faculty, and the increasing necessity
for a new conception of professional development. It is important that the reader understand the purpose
of this present effort. It is not to provide a complete prescription for the challenges facing the academy .
Rather, it is an attempt to raise awareness and point readers toward some potential answers. To do
justice to each topic mentioned in this paper would require a paper on each. This paper is a highly
condensed version of a book-length manuscript currently under development.

[Top]

Introduction:

Any one with even a passing familiarity with the current literature dealing with higher education is
aware of the tremendous change that those of us in the academy face. For most institutions, there is a
very real prospect of calls coming from multiple constituencies that we do more with less. Technology
continues to progress and expand at a phenomenal rate. As the global society shifts to the information
age, competition will become a part of everyday life for our faculty, staff, and administrators. Our
institutions must become learning institutions. Harasim (1998) wrote ". . .it occurred to me that in the
United States, the rhetoric of higher education almost never promotes "learning" as the character of the
institution. Universities boast of "research," and colleges advertise "teaching"; no one that I know makes
claims on learning. The avoidance of the term is more than accidental; it rests on suppositions that have
significant ideological and practical consequences" (p. 92).

Higher education continues to come under attack on many fronts. Most of these criticisms can be
subsumed under two headings; efficiency and effectiveness. Politicians, motivated by what they perceive
to be a bottomless money pit, as well as tightening fiscal constraints, have called for increased
efficiency. Guskin (1996) stated the case as follows:

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• There is a growing public acceptance that colleges and universities are not cost-effective, that the
tuitions are too high, and that the academic institutions must therefore restructure their operations,
much as happened in other sectors of American society. Within the higher education community
itself, there is a new awareness of our inability to understand how to do more with less, especially
in the delivery of education. What we know is how to do more with more or less with less (p. 27).

Higher education has also come under criticism on issues of effectiveness. Ewell (1994), Peters (1994),
Dill, Massey, Williams, and Cook (1996), and the Wingspread Group on Higher Education (1993) have
all written about the sad state of institutional effectiveness and/or outcomes assessment. Banta, Lund,
Block, and Oblander (1996) analyzed 165 cases representing a variety of institutional sizes and types.
Each of these cases purported to be an example of an "exemplary' practice". Banta wrote in the
conclusion, "I must say that the number of these cases containing concrete evidence that the student
learning improved as a result of assessment is very small" (p. 343).

The Pew Higher Education Research Program (1991) decried the fact that much of higher education has
turned inward to cope with such criticism. They stated, "Higher education has become remarkably adept
at avoiding questions of purpose. Even discussions of the curriculum focus more easily on process than
on substance" (p. 1).

As higher education becomes increasingly global, the changes that have been called for may come to
pass as many institutions learn the true meaning of competition. Artificially enforced geographic
boundaries and sacred cows will come under increasing pressure as institutions struggle to become
competitive. Duderstadt (1999), described the impact of these changes on higher education as follows:

• This carefully regulated and controlled enterprise could be eroded by several factors. First, the
growing demand for advanced education and training simply cannot be met by such a carefully
rationed and controlled paradigm. Second, current cost structures for higher education are simply
incapable of responding to the need for high-quality yet affordable education. Third, information
technology is releasing higher education from the constraints of space and time (and possibly also
reality with virtual universities). All of these factors are driving us toward an open learning
environment, in which students will evolve into an active learner and consumer, unleashing strong
market forces. ... With the emergence of new competitive forces and the weakening influence of
traditional constraints, higher education is evolving like other "deregulated" industries (for
example, health care, communications, and energy)(p. 10).

This is significant for all of our institutions. As Rowley, Lujan, and Dolence (1998) stated, ". . .in the
information age there will be winners and losers. Those who try to shape change and its effects on them
will likely be winners, and those who resist adapting will likely be among the losers (p. 4)". Duderstadt
(1998), placed the warning in concrete terms when he stated:

• Those institutions that can step up to this process of change will thrive. Those that bury their
heads in the sand; that rigidly defend the status quo or even worse - some idyllic vision of the past
that never existed, are at very great risk. Those institutions that are micromanaged, either from
within, by faculty politics or governing boards or their own administrators, or from without, by
government or pubic opinion, stand little chance of flourishing during times of great change. The
real question is not whether higher education will be transformed but rather how and by whom
(P-1)?

O'Banion (1997) echoed the same theme when he wrote:

• American society is in a key stage of transformation from the Industrial Age to the Information
Age, and all social institutions are - or will be - affected by the change. Many institutions,
especially those of business and industry, have been actively involved in responding to these
changes for some time; others, such as educational institutions, have begun to respond only
recently and in most cases with a reserved enthusiasm. It appears that considerable benefit will
accrue to those educational institutions that can successfully navigate the change while those that
do not may atrophy or be consigned to the "rubbish heap of history."

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Why does higher education find itself in this situation?

[To pi

"Isms" That Afflict Higher Education

While thinking about this paper, I began to think about the various "isms" that afflict most of our
institutions to a greater or lesser degree. In these and other "isms" may lie some of the reasons for our
current condition. They are listed below, rather poorly paraphrased, and without attribution.

• You can't use the same thought patterns that brought you to your current position in the hope that
they will somehow lead you out.

• The fallacy of rewarding A while hoping for B.

• The fallacy of doing the same things in the same way and hoping for different outcomes.

• To face tomorrow with the thought of using the methods of yesterday is to invite standstill.

• If you are headed in the wrong direction, integrating technology into your instruction will simply
help you get there faster.

• Doing what you've always done, only faster.

• True transformative change only occurs at funerals.

• In higher education, routine work drives out all non-routine work and smothers to death all
creative planning, all fundamental change in the university.

• The current change efforts under way in higher education are closely akin to pruning limbs from a
dying tree.

• In times of change, the learners inherit the world while the learned remain beautifully equipped to
deal with a world that no longer exists.

• Placing good people in bad systems will ultimately end up creating an organization of
under-achieving people.

• Much of what goes on in higher education can best be characterized as form over substance.

• Treating every one in an organization the same is a prescription for mediocrity. The level of
mediocrity will trend downward over time without outside intervention.

As with all such sayings, there is a grain of truth in each of these.

If these are valid vis-a-vis higher education, we may have discovered the heart of the problem. Can any
organization so afflicted hope to truly change and become competitive? How are we to overcome these
anchors and look to the future with anything akin to optimism? What are the implications of the
globalization of higher education? This paper will look in-tum at the implications for various areas
within the academy, beginning with the role of the academy itself.

[To p]

The Future Role of The Academy

With the foregoing as a background, we need to ask ourselves how our institutions will respond to these
calls for change. Senge (1997) wrote of what he sees as the most significant problem with today's
organizations in the following terms. "We have massive institutional breakdown and massive failure of
the centralized nervous systems of hierarchical authoritarian institutions in the face of growing
interdependence and accelerating change (pp. 125 - 126).

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Connick (1997) wrote about higher education institutions in the following words:

• As a result of changing economic and social conditions in the United States and around the world,
America approaches the twenty-first century with more than thirty-six hundred accredited
institutions that were built in a different era, for a different student population, with a different set
of economic realities. Our educational institutions reflect their industrial-era roots. They are
organized around centralized structures (similar to the factory model) by aggregating the workers

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(faculty and students) at a particular place (the campus) at a particular time (the academic
calendar). Education as a public monopoly will cease to exist. The future for most institutions will
be determine by the extent to which they have an educational product or products that are
provided conveniently for the consumer at a competitive cost (p. 9).

Oblinger and Rush (1997) wrote of three possible scenarios for institutions of higher education as
follows:

• One is that the academy does not need to change and won't

• A Second scenario follows the historic model of higher education. A new type of institution will
emerge to serve the future needs of learners. Over the past 300 years, much of the growth and
innovation of higher education has come about through the addition of new institutions, not
through the adaptation of existing institutions. In this scenario they quote Dolence and Norris
(1995) as stating that a new design model is essential to meet the needs of the Information Age.
This new design would be characterized by l)open access, to 2) a network of experts, in 3)both
traditional and hybridized disciplines using 4) just-in-time learning, providing 5) perpetual
learning, facilitated by 6) "fused" learning systems and 7) unbundled learning experiences based
on learner needs.

• A third scenario is described by Tate (1996): New production, delivery and certification
organizations (PDCs) will invade distribution of higher education courses. These PDCs will
operate on a national basis, using the most efficient and effective communications media
available. Courses and programs will be designed and produced to commercial standards. These
organizations will purchase subject matter expertise from many sources, depending upon the
degree of expertise and the quality of content preparation. PDCs will provide competence-based
testing and certification services. Students may participate in interactive testing at any time and
place of their choosing - and pay a fee to receive certification upon successful completion. At first,
PDCs will "flow through" from the institution that provides the content. Later, independent
accreditation agencies will assess the process, content, and certification of PDCs. (PPS. 15-16)

[To pi

Changing the Role of Governing Boards

It is the belief of this author that the governing board may well hold the keys to the future of the majority
of our institutions. Another of the truisms that businesses and institutions of all types face is the fact that
people generally pay attention to those things that feel are important to their superiors. Until boards
demand leadership and change instead of attempting to manage every institution by the same yardsticks
of how good their reports look in relationship to other institutions within the system, the quip by Adam
Urbanski (1992), that "If you always do what you've always done you'll always get what you always
got", will continue to be true.

In the future, productivity will not be measured in terms of inputs (number of FTE students, numbers of
faculty, or seat time). Instead, productivity will be measured in terms of outputs (numbers of students
completing courses of study, number of students passing certification tests, numbers of students
completing their personal learning goals). Governing boards, are, after all, ultimately responsible for the
behavior and performance of senior level administrators at most of our institutions. How does the role of
senior administration need to change? We turn next to this question.

[To pi

The Necessity For Change On The Part Of Institutional Administration

In many of our institutions, particularly public institutions, administrators can best be described as
managers. Even those who may understand that what is required is leadership rather than management
are slow to move in that direction. The literature is replete with examples of what happens to senior level
administrators who attempt to actively lead their institutions. As long as governing boards reward the
upper echelon managers of our institutions for being managers and bureaucrats, that’s exactly what we

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will get. If governing boards want leadership, they will be forced to deal fairly with the criticisms that
come with this change.

Bess (1997) identified the administration of higher education institutions as being one of the primary
determinants of good teaching that results in student learning. Green (1990) wrote much the same thing
and included a list of principles and strategies that administrators can use to improve the quality of
teaching on their campuses:

• Make teaching a leadership priority

• Be a partner in the venture

• Have faculty lead the change

• Put your money where your rhetoric is

• Reward good teaching in ways that matter

• Encourage life outside the department

• Encourage contacts outside the institution

• Define teaching broadly

• Work from an understanding of adult development

• Make good teaching an institutional responsibility

• Make teaching ability a criterion for hiring faculty

The role of Leadership

There is a significant and growing literature, which addresses the issue of leadership, leadership
development, and how leadership differs from management. It is the intent of the present effort to
address leadership as it impacts change. Brill and Worth (1997) detailed the importance of leadership in
change efforts:

• No successful large-scale change effort has gone very far without effective leadership throughout
the organization. This often requires two things: First, leaders must be trained, because there may
not be enough of them, and second, they must be brought on board in support of the change effort.
The leaders will move this effort forward if they know how and if they are committed to it.
However, they can just as easily destroy a change initiative if they don’t know how to support it or
simply don’t want to go along, (p. 1 10)

Gregory (1996), in discussing collegiate leadership, stated. "Leadership is about being a leading
professional, leading others in a collegiate style, recognizing and encouraging quality, fostering and
developing talent, intervening, coaching, and being a role-model for exemplary behavior, taking risks,
and acting as a change agent" (p. 48). Heifetz (1994) wrote "Leadership means influencing the
community to face its problems (p.14)".

How will the roles of faculty change? The next section of this paper details the changing roles of faculty
in a global system of higher education.

[Top]

Faculty Roles In The Future

Many people believe that the most significant changes in higher education's future will involve the role
of faculty. In an anytime, any place environment, faculty will have to be available to students when
students need help. This means answering e-mail and returning phone calls at times that faculty is not
used to being available. Faculty shift from being a "sage on the stage" to being a "guide on the side". If
faculty is expected to be available in the evening and over the weekend, it is unreasonable to expect that
they will be available the same number of hours as usual on campus.

In an environment characterized by intense competition, the basic laws of economics will take over. The
new bottom line for faculty will be measured by the amount of learning that takes place on the part of
the student. This will result in a shift in emphasis from teaching to learning.

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Oblinger and Rush (1997) provide one of many lists of changes currently available in the literature in
Table 1.

Alternative Educational Model

Current Model

Future Model

Technological Implications

Classroom lectures

Individual exploration

Networked PCs with access to
information

Passive absorption

Apprenticeship

Requires skill development
and simulations

Individual work

Team learning

Benefits from collaborative
learning and e-mail

Omniscient teacher

Teacher as guide

Relies on access to experts
over the network

Stable content

Fast-changing content

Requires networks and
publishing skills

Homogeneity

Diversity

Requires a variety of access
tools and methods

Table 1

Modified from table found on page 15

A thoughtful review of table 1, will indicate the skill set for the faculty of the future will be significantly
different from that of the past. In a meta-analysis of four surveys, Cyrs (1997), listed the following
competencies as desirable for instructors who teach at a distance:

• Course Planning and organization

• Verbal and nonverbal presentation skills

• Collaborative teamwork

• Questioning strategies

• Subject matter expertise

• Basic learning theory

• Knowledge of the distance learning field

• Design of study guides coordinated with instruction

• Graphic design and visual thinking (pp. 16 - 17)

When the distance education is moved to the World Wide Web, additional skills will be necessary as
follows:

• Collaborative learning

• Cooperative learning

• A wide range of technical skills

• Active learning strategies

One of the big questions is how will faculty acquire the requisite skills? Baiocco and DeWaters (1998)
cite the results of several studies that conclude that traditional faculty development efforts are simply not
effective. They wrote:

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• We have concluded that higher education institutions must increase efforts and offer a radically
different faculty development program to ensure that faculty will understand the changing nature
of the student population, education, and their respective disciplines. We believe that higher
education faculty need major retraining and ongoing support in learning theory, cultural
sensitivity, teaching effectiveness, multimedia and technology use, evaluation. And assessment,
field supervision, and classroom research. Moreover, that support must include administrative
backing, which, as Eble and McKeachie reported, is predictive of program success (1985, p. 5) (pp.
40-41).

If the foregoing conclusions about possible implications are true and if the "isms" outlined above contain
even a shred of truth, how do we get from where we are to where we need to be? Industry' has begun to
turn to the concept of the learning organization to address similar problems in the private sector. This
paper turns now to the exploration of the learning organization.

flop.]

The Learning Organization

After trying many fads and programs of the month, industry is beginning to find merit in the concept of
the learning organization. The learning organization is paradoxical in that it appears so simple in theory
yet it is so difficult to achieve in actual practice. Senge (1990), in his classic work, defined five
disciplines that characterize a learning organization as follows:

• Systems Thinking. ... Business and other human endeavors are also systems. They, too, are bound
by invisible fabrics of interrelated actions, which often take years to fully play out their effects on
each other. Since we are part of that lacework ourselves, it's doubly hard to see the whole pattern
of change. Instead, we tend to focus on snapshots of isolated parts of the system, and wonder why
our deepest problems never seem to get solved. Systems thinking is a conceptual framework, a
body of knowledge and tools that has been developed over the past fifty years, to make full
patterns clearer, and help us to see how to change them effectively.

• Personal Mastery. ... Personal mastery is the discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our
personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively.
As such, it is an essential cornerstone of the learning organization - the learning organization's
spiritual foundation. An organization's commitment to and capacity for learning can be no greater
than that of its members.

• Mental Models "Mental models" are deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, or even
pictures or images that influence how we understand the world and how we take action. Very
often, we are not consciously aware of our mental models or the effects they have on our
behavior. . ..Mental models of what can or cannot be done in different management settings are no
less deeply entrenched. Many insights into new markets or outmoded organizational practices fail
to get put into practice because they conflict with powerful, tacit mental models.

• Building Shared Vision. If any one idea about leadership has inspired organizations for thousands
of years, it's the capacity to hold a shared picture of the future we seek to create. When there is a
genuine vision (as opposed to the all-too-familiar "vision statement"), people excel and learn, not
because they are told to do so, but also because they want to. What has been lacking is a discipline
for translating individual vision into a shared vision-not a "cookbook" but a set of guiding
principles.

The practice of shared vision involves the skills of unearthing shared "pictures of the future" that
foster genuine commitment and enrollment rather than compliance. In mastering this discipline,
leaders learn the counterproductiveness of trying to dictate a vision, no matter how heartfelt.

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Team Learning. . ..The discipline of team learning starts with "dialog." The capacity of members of
a team to suspend assumptions and enter into a genuine "thinking together.". . .The discipline of
dialog also involves learning how to recognize the patterns of interaction in teams that undermine

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learning. The patterns of defensiveness are often deeply ingrained in how a team operates. If
unrecognized, they undermine learning. If recognized and surfaced creatively, they can actually
accelerate learning. ... Team learning is vital because teams, not individuals, are the fundamental
learning unit in modem organizations, (pp. 8-10).

Given the "isms" that afflict higher education, what can be done to insure that the disciplines of a
learning organization can take root in this less than fertile soil? Thompson (1995) outlined
organizational conditions for building a learning organization as follows:

• Senior management committed to making learning capability part of its ongoing competitive
advantage

• A compelling vision of the desired learning organization that people feel part of and are excited by

• A clear blueprint for change

• Milestones - identified, achieved, and celebrated

• Committed leadership willing to model desired changes and drive fear out of the organization

• Immediate corrective action with leaders who resist change

• Senior management committed to significant investment of time and resources

• A performance management system that links compensation to achievement of the desired vision

• Encouragement and acknowledgement of experimentation, collaboration, innovation, and new
paradigm thinking

• Urgency - but no quick fixes

• Multiple feedback structures

• Multiple learning channels

If a learning organization has potential for bringing about the necessary change in the academy, how do
we begin the process? Beer (1999) argued persuasively that the type of learning processes that are
required in today's turbulent marketplace would have to be powerful in order to overcome the inertia
common in most organizations. He wrote:

• The powers can, I will argue, be obtained from an organizational conversation - a dialog between
the top team (also referred to later as the leadership team) and lower-level people from all parts of
the organization concerned with implementing the strategic tasks of the organization. The dialog
would have to provide valid data about how well strategy, organizational capabilities, and
leadership behavior fit each other. And that data would have to be subject to rigorous analysis of
and reflection about inevitably emotional issues that block leaders from fitting their behaviors to
strategically driven organizational requirement. Lacking the capability of an open dialog and
rigorous analysis of how leader behavior fits strategy and organization, it is inevitable that
fundamental transformation in corporations occur only after financial crises leads to the
replacement of the CEO and his top team. Although this appears inevitable given present
leadership skills and social technology, the economic and human cost of waiting until a crises
creates a revolution are sufficiently high to warrant a search for an alternative to the heroic
leadership model we argue dominates the landscape of change (p. 129).

Emery and Purser (1996), Lippet (1998), and Weisbord and Janoff (1995) have all demonstrated that the
type of change that is required today can only be sustained on a base of trust and understanding and that
this foundation can only be built on broad-based and frequent open communication that includes all
interested parties from across the organization.

[To p]

Summary and Conclusion

The environment for all of higher education continues to evolve into a truly global system. All aspects of
American higher education will have to change in order to prosper in the coming years. It is doubtful if
some of the implications outlined in this paper will be felt before the end of the next decade. For higher
education to overcome its tendency towards inertia and the "isms" that characterize its day-to-day
operations will require a systemic approach. The learning organization as outlined is one possible

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approach. Regardless of the approach selected, it is clear from all of the research that bureaucracy will
have to give way to open organizations in which dialog is practiced on a daily basis.

IlQEl

References

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professors. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Santa, T., Lund, J., Blank, K., and Qblander, F. (1996). Assessment in practice: putting principles to
work on college campuses. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Beer, M. (1999). Leading learning and learning to lead: am action learning approach to developing
organizational fitness in Conger, J., Spretzer, G. and Lawler, E. The leader's handbook: an essential
guide to setting direction and taking action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bess, J. (1997). Teaching well and liking it. Baltimor: The Jhns Hopkins University Press.

Brill, P. and Worth, R. (1997). The four levers of corporate change. New York: AMACOM.

Connick, G. (1997). Issues and trends that will take us to the twenty-first century in Cyrs, T. (ed.).
Teaching and learning at a distance: what it takes to effectively design, deliver, and evaluate programs,
New Directions for teaching and learning. No. 71, Fall, 1997. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Dill, D., Massey, W., Williams, P., and Cook, C. (September / October, 1996). "Accreditation and
academic quality assurance: can we get there from here? Change 31-39.

Duderstadt, J. (1999). Can colleges and universities survive in the information age in Katz, R. and
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Emery, M. and Purser, R. (1996). The search conference: a powerful method for planning
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Ewell, P. (November / December, 1994). "A matter of integrity: accountability and the future of
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Green, M. (1990). Why good teaching needs active leadership in Seldin, P. and Associates (1990). How
administrators can improve teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Gregory, M. (1996). "Developing effective college leadership for the management of educational
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Guskin, A. (July / August, 1996). "Facing the Future". Change Magazine 27-37.

Heifetz, R. (1994). Leadership without easy answers. Cambridge, MA.:The Harvard University Press.

Lippett, L (1998). Preferred futuring: envision the future you want and unleash the energy to get there.
San Francisco: Barrett-Koehler.

O'Banion, T (1997). A learning college for the 21 st century. Phoenix, A Z: The Oryx Press.

Oblinger, D. and Rush, S (1997), The Learning Revolution (PPS. 1 - 19)in Oblinger, D. and Rush, S.
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Peters, R. (November / December, 1994). "Accountability and the end (s) of higher education". Change
16-24.

Rowley, D., Lujan, H., and Dolence, M. (1997). Strategic change in colleges and universities: planning
to survive and prosper. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline: the art and practice of the learning organization. New York:
Doubleday.

Senge, P. (1997). Through the eye of the needle in Gibson, R. (ed) Rethinking the future. London:
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Thompson, J. (1995) The renaissance of learning in business in Chawla, S. and Renesch, J. (1995).
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Urbanski, A (1992) as quoted by Chaffe and Sherr in Rowley, Lujan, and Dolence(1997). Strategic
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The Wingspread Group on higher Education (1993). An American imperative: higher expectations for
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Getting Started with Multimedia in the Classroom and Tutorial Lab http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/otts.htm

Getting Started with Multimedia in the Classroom and Tutorial Lab

Dr. David Alan Otts
Ms. Annette Williams
Ms. Carol Willis Dawson
Dr. Vivian R. M. Alley
Middle Tennessee State University

Abstract

This hands-on session will help participants to get started using HyperStudio to create their own
multimedia materials for use with students in both classroom and lab settings. Participants should have a
topic for their presentation or tutorial. Examples of multimedia presentations and tutorials currently used
with developmental algebra students will be shared, and participants will receive a demo-disk of
HyperStudio for both Mac and Windows platforms.

Getting Started with Multimedia in the Classroom and Tutorial Lab

The MTV generation quickly loses interest in math topics presented on the chalkboard by some old
fuddy-duddy 60's fossil lecturing about polynomials and rational numbers. A step forward is the use of
the overhead projector, but students require even greater stimuli to hold their attention. Use of
multimedia brings teaching methods into the 21st Century and helps students catch the dream of success
in the 90's and beyond. Multimedia offers avenues for presenting material not possible with other
methods, such as: (1) interaction, (2) animation to demonstrate concepts, (3) sound cues, (4)
incorporation of stimulating visual effects such as flashing, and (5) non-linear progression. Each
presenter has used multimedia authoring software to improve classroom instruction and to provide
students additional review in a lab setting. New capabilities allow teacher-made stacks to be accesses vis
the internet, allowing students the opportunity to study at home.

Our objectives are to report the benefits of using multimedia in the classroom and lab, to demonstrate
actual materials authored by the presenters, and to lead participants in the development of their own
multimedia materials. Rapid development of multimedia presentation methods and equipping of special
multimedia classrooms provides the opportunity to examine the effects of multimedia based instruction
on developmental students. The presenters will share the results of their research comparing the learning
and math anxiety of students in a multimedia classroom to the learning and math anxiety of students in a
non-multimedia classroom. While the data indicate no statistically significant difference in the learning
of students in the multimedia classroom and that of students in the non-multimedia classroom, both
students and observers felt that students are more engaged by the multimedia based instruction. The
study comparing math anxiety using the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale as the pre- and posttest
instrument is currently being conducted and will be shared with the participants.

All four presenters have and are developing multimedia based presentations for use in both classroom
and lab. A presentation of elementaryalgebra topics and a tutorial on application problems made using
HyperStudio will be shared with the participants as examples of teacher made multimedia. The lessons
learned in developing these materials will also be shared.

Participants will experience hands-on work with multimedia tools by developing their own presentation.
A sample development tool (HyperStudio) will be available for participants. Those who wish to bring
their own hardware and software are encouraged to do so. Each participant will create a
mini-presentation that can be used as the basis for an expanded tutorial.

Participants should have a topic for their presentation.

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http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed99/otts.htm

Getting Started with Multimedia in the Classroom and Tutorial Lab

Dr. David Alan Otts

Ms. Annette Williams

Ms. Carol Willis Dawson

Dr. Vivian

Associate Professor

Assistant Professor

Associate P

Middle Tennessee
State University

Middle Tennessee State
University

Middle Ten
University

P.O. Box 386

P.O. Box 370

P. O. Box 16

P. O. Box 3

Murfreesboro, TN
37132

Murfreesboro, TN 37132

Murfreesbor

37132

Fax: (615) 898-5907

Fax: (615)898-5907

Fax: (615)8

e-mail:

dotts(a),mtsu.edu

e-mail:

awilliam(a> ffank.mtsu.edu

e-mail: cdawson(a>,mtsu.edu

e-mail:

vallev(a),mts

ERJC

2 of 2

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U.S. Department of Education

Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERlj
National Library of Education (NLE)
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

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does not require a “Specific Document” Release form.

This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission to
reproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, may
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